H.M. dies

The Times reports that H.M., a name familiar to generations of psych undergrads, has died. H.M. was a patient who underwent surgical treatment for a seizure disorder which left him unable to form new memories (think Memento but without the tattoos and the ultraviolence.) This made him a popular subject for the study of memory. One of the most interesting features of H.M.'s condition was that he could learn some new physical skills without being conscious of it. When presented with the task he would claim never to have tried it before, but would be able to perform them anyway. The Wikipedia article and the Times obit both make good reading.