Headlines about “autistic monkeys” are missing the point, prairie voles show empathy, and dogs could offer clues to psychiatric conditions in people.

The fight over who holds the rights to CRISPR is heating up, we control our gut bacteria, and romance isn’t always easy when you have autism.

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.

Some of our favorite stories this year went beyond the news to lay bare critical controversies or highlight real-world implications of research.

The proposed guidelines would require scientists to destroy biological specimens if they don’t have the explicit consent of the participant for further use.

The ‘spectrum’ concept spawns skepticism, men’s and women’s brains are largely the same, and Ph.D.s still outnumber faculty jobs.

Autism researchers should take steps to communicate their findings before, during and after publication of the paper.

Controversy continues to swirl around CRISPR, sexism in science receives much-needed attention on social media, and adults with autism fear the future.

Inhaling puffs of the hormone oxytocin modestly improves social behaviors, the first trial of the hormone in children with autism has found.

A new iPhone app flags possible autism symptoms, and researchers discover two ‘new’ neurons in a worm.