2015 Year in review
What’s the hardest part of an autism researcher’s job?
Scientists dish about the biggest challenges they face as they tackle tough questions about autism.
What’s the hardest part of an autism researcher’s job?
Notable papers of 2015
Our top 10 papers for this year, based on input from autism researchers, capture the full spectrum of findings — from molecular biology to large-scale epidemiology.
Hot topics of 2015
Here’s a rundown of five trending topics that are turning traditional assumptions about autism on their head.
Quotes of the year
Here are some of our favorite quotes, by those who study autism and those who live with it, from articles we published in 2015.
Artist with autism illustrates ‘invisible disability’
Sounds, smells and social encounters are just a few of the challenges that Leironica Hawkins, an artist on the spectrum, faces every day.
Artist with autism illustrates ‘invisible disability’
Research one-liners
Autism researchers distill countless hours of frantic grant-writing and experiments into a single sentence — with some hilarious results.
Spectrum’s first year
To say this has been a momentous year for the website would be an understatement.
Staff picks from 2015
Some of our favorite stories this year went beyond the news to lay bare critical controversies or highlight real-world implications of research.
Explore more from The Transmitter
Rat neurons thrive in a mouse brain world, testing ‘nature versus nurture’
Neurons from the two rodents can wire up together to form functional circuits—all while maintaining some species-specific properties, two new studies show.
Rat neurons thrive in a mouse brain world, testing ‘nature versus nurture’
Neurons from the two rodents can wire up together to form functional circuits—all while maintaining some species-specific properties, two new studies show.
It’s past time to stop using the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test
The widely used measure of “theory of mind” needs to be re-examined, along with the long-standing claim that autism is linked to a lack of this ability.
It’s past time to stop using the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test
The widely used measure of “theory of mind” needs to be re-examined, along with the long-standing claim that autism is linked to a lack of this ability.
Robots boost data consistency in rodent studies reliant on mechanical, optogenetic stimulation
Two new devices take experimenter variation out of the equation, the lead investigators say.
Robots boost data consistency in rodent studies reliant on mechanical, optogenetic stimulation
Two new devices take experimenter variation out of the equation, the lead investigators say.