Autism spectrum
A new book recounts the forgotten history of autism
We tend to think of autism as a modern disease — “the unique disorder of our uniquely disordered times,” as author Steve Silberman writes in a new book. But that idea, he says, doesn’t quite square with the facts. The real history of autism is less known and more tragic — both for the people who suffered from the disorder and for the doctor, Hans Asperger, whose pioneering ideas about autism were long neglected.
Windows to the Soul
Science is looking for ways to better understand an autistic person’s perception of the world. Using laser technology, Ami Klin and Warren Jones of the Yale School of Medicine screened “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf” and tracked the gazes of autistic viewers precisely, to study how they perceive social interactions. Biologist David Gruber visited their […]
Autism, Flanagan, Shearwater
Kurt Andersen asks what art reveals about autism. Researcher Blythe Corbett guides Kurt through some of the controversial questions surrounding the disorder. An adult with autism writes a dark satire about the world of special education. When scientists watch movies with autistic people, they begin to understand how they see the world. And Studio 360 […]