Why, after I've spent hours attempting to remember somebody's name or something similar, does the answer eventually arrive in the middle of the night when I'm not even trying?Ben Longstaff, London, UK(Image: iofoto, stock.xchng)
There is a tiny gnome librarian living in my head- sometimes the information I need is known to the librarian, or is in one of the books piled up on the front bench. Othertimes, he has to go scurrying into the stacks and it might be hours before he can find the information and get back...
The gnome librarian theory is very nearly correct - the missing part is what mood the librarian is in. Sometimes its contrarian librarian, sometimes cooperative.On the days the librarian has forgotten to bring sandwiches and is therefore in a very bad mood you won't get your answer until the canteen opens.
maybe it's something to do with the fact that if a neuron is firing it's inactive to other signals so when you are busy in the day other thoughts are firing art the same time thereby blocking the required pathway and when falling asleep conscious activity is dialling down and therefore the command to find information about person x finally gets through and you remember