Emily Sohn is a freelance journalist in Minneapolis. She writes mainly about health, science, adventure and complex conservation questions. Her stories have appeared in Nature, the Washington Post, NPR, Aeon, bioGraphic and many other publications. See more at www.tidepoolsinc.com.
Emily Sohn
Contributing writer
From this contributor
Maiken Nedergaard’s power of disruption
The award-winning researcher’s discoveries have changed the way we think about the brain; that’s exactly what her critics dislike.
Maiken Nedergaard’s power of disruption
By
Emily Sohn
26 February 2024 | 24 min read
Rising star: Ann Kennedy bridges gap between biology, computational theory
A theoretical neuroscientist, Kennedy uses a blend of computational modeling and real-world experiments to understand how brain activity shapes the behaviors of animals that model autism and other conditions.
Rising star: Ann Kennedy bridges gap between biology, computational theory
By
Emily Sohn
26 July 2022 | 14 min read
Low standards corrode quality of popular autism therapy
Rapid growth and inadequate standards in the 'applied behavior analysis' industry may put vulnerable children in the hands of poorly prepared technicians.
Low standards corrode quality of popular autism therapy
By
Emily Sohn
28 October 2020 | 18 min read
The blurred line between autism and intellectual disability
Doctors often conflate autism and intellectual disability, and no wonder: The biological distinction between them is murky. Scientific progress depends on knowing where the conditions intersect — and part ways.
The blurred line between autism and intellectual disability
By
Emily Sohn
15 April 2020 | 15 min read
How abuse mars the lives of autistic people
Many people with autism experience a triad of trauma: neglect at home, abuse from trusted adults and bullying at school or work.
Explore more from The Transmitter
Marcelle Lapicque: A forgotten pioneer in neuroscience
Lapicque was the first Black woman neuroscientist in Europe, new research suggests.
Marcelle Lapicque: A forgotten pioneer in neuroscience
Lapicque was the first Black woman neuroscientist in Europe, new research suggests.
By
Angie Voyles Askham, Rebecca Horne
24 February 2026 | 1 min read
In-vivo base editing in a mouse model of autism, and more
Here is a roundup of autism-related news and research spotted around the web for the week of 23 February.
In-vivo base editing in a mouse model of autism, and more
Here is a roundup of autism-related news and research spotted around the web for the week of 23 February.
By
Jill Adams
24 February 2026 | 2 min read
Infant visual system categorizes common objects by 2 months of age
Brain activity patterns in the ventral visual cortex appear to distinguish images across 12 categories, including birds and trees, longitudinal functional MRI scans suggest.
Infant visual system categorizes common objects by 2 months of age
Brain activity patterns in the ventral visual cortex appear to distinguish images across 12 categories, including birds and trees, longitudinal functional MRI scans suggest.
By
Helena Kudiabor
24 February 2026 | 5 min read