2018: Year in Review

Recent articles

DNA helix shows blue spots as mutations.

Five hot topics in autism research in 2018

This year, researchers made big headway on autism’s most perplexing questions.

By Spectrum
21 December 2018 | 5 min read
Illustration of empty text bubbles.

Quotes of the year

In our favorite quotes from stories we published this year, researchers talk about where to store your marijuana for research, the significance of mouse-butt sniffing and the secret to productivity.

By Spectrum
21 December 2018 | 2 min read
A drawing shows the word 'autism' formed of loose letters under a magnifying glass.

A decade of Spectrum

It’s been 10 years since Spectrum — well, one version of Spectrum — launched. Fittingly, in this anniversary year, we made forays into new territory.

By Spectrum
21 December 2018 | 3 min read
Illustration of profiles with brains of different colors.

In case you missed it: Five Spectrum stories from 2018

Spectrum's editors chose five stories from 2018 you may have missed the first time around.

By Spectrum
21 December 2018 | 3 min read
whimsical machine takes in various data and spits out an organized version on the other end

Notable papers in autism research in 2018

This year's list of top papers highlights new dimensions in our understanding of autism genetics and hints at novel treatments.

By Spectrum
21 December 2018 | 4 min read

Science serves up inspiration for Katie Carey’s whimsical artwork

Katie Carey, who has illustrated several Spectrum articles, reveals her creative process and her strategies for pushing past mental blocks.

By Rebecca Horne
21 December 2018 | 6 min read
A man walks up a decrepit staircase in his neighborhood in Lima, Peru.

In Peru, novel program paves the way for autistic people’s employment

At a center in Lima, Peru, people with autism learn to identify their strengths and find jobs that play to those strengths.

By Nicholette Zeliadt
21 December 2018 | 7 min read

Pitch your thesis: Big questions drive autism research

Early-career autism researchers record 'elevator pitches' of their projects.

By Claire Cameron
21 December 2018 | 8 min watch
Woman looking into mirror sees words and fragmented reflection.

Why adults need an easier path to autism diagnosis

Getting an autism diagnosis can be difficult for many adults, due to the dearth of reliable tests, high costs and bureaucracy.

By Sara Luterman
18 December 2018 | 6 min read

Explore more from The Transmitter

Cara Pugliese.

Autism program chief among National Institutes of Health layoffs

The termination is one of more than 1,000 employee cuts at the U.S. agency this week.

By Rachel Zamzow
21 February 2025 | 3 min read
Illustration of columns of text with eyes peeking out from behind the central column to look at a bright blue spot.

This paper changed my Life: Bill Newsome reflects on a quadrilogy of classic visual perception studies

The 1970s papers from Goldberg and Wurtz made ambitious mechanistic studies of higher brain functions seem feasible.

By Bill Newsome
21 February 2025 | 6 min read
Interconnected lines form a world map.

Science must step away from nationally managed infrastructure

Scientific data and independence are at risk. We need to work with community-driven services and university libraries to create new multi-country organizations that are resilient to political interference.

By Dan Goodman
20 February 2025 | 7 min read