Science and society

Recent articles

Illustration of an open journal featuring lines of text and small illustrations of eyes and mouths.

Key role of interferon 1 in maternal immune activation, and more

Here is a roundup of autism-related news and research spotted around the web for the week of 1 June.

By Jill Adams
9 June 2026 | 2 min read
Photo collage of Tempest McDonald.

When autistic kids grow up, Chapter 1: Those people

What leads an autism researcher to publish an intentionally inflammatory paper accusing the NIH of discrimination?

By Brady Huggett
4 June 2026 | 24 min listen
Research image of brain cells involved with Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) illuminated through genetic tools

Allen Institute sets sights on treatments for five brain diseases

The Brain Health Accelerator program aims to harness single-cell transcriptomics and cell-type-specific genetic tools to develop treatments for Alzheimer’s, Huntington’s and Parkinson’s diseases, Lewy body dementia and ALS.

By Calli McMurray
2 June 2026 | 5 min read
Research image of human thalamus.

Autism-linked genes expressed in thalamus make an impact, and more

Here is a roundup of autism-related news and research spotted around the web for the week of 1 June.

By Jill Adams
2 June 2026 | 2 min read
Illustration of people connecting basic science.

Bringing basic biology back to INSAR

As the International Society for Autism Research has grown over the past two decades, basic science has become less central, Christine Wu Nordahl says. This year, she and other meeting organizers aimed to change that.

By Diana Kwon
28 May 2026 | 6 min read
Illustration of scale balancing Petri dish and test tubes.

Every neuroscience lab needs an ethicist

The ethics issues that arise in neuroscience research are usually novel, unresolved and understudied. Embedding ethicists in labs helps scientists navigate these challenges and develop strategies in real time to prevent harm.

By Timothy E. Brown
27 May 2026 | 5 min read
Research image of genetic models.

SHANK3-variant effects in primates, and more

Here is a roundup of autism-related news and research spotted around the web for the week of 25 May.

By Jill Adams
26 May 2026 | 2 min read
Billboard reads Protect Life-Saving Science.

Oregon primate center scientists fight proposed sanctuary transition

A group of employees has launched a series of campaigns to advocate for their work and argue against the center’s potential transition to an animal sanctuary.

By Calli McMurray
21 May 2026 | 6 min read
When Autistic Kids Grow Up.

When autistic kids grow up

An autistic researcher’s paper called attention to a huge disparity in autism funding research between children and adults. It nearly derailed her life.

By Brady Huggett
20 May 2026 | 2 min listen
Research image showing brain volume changes in mice

Outside influences on CHD8 variant phenotypes, and more

Here is a roundup of autism-related news and research spotted around the web for the week of 18 May.

By Jill Adams
19 May 2026 | 2 min read

Explore more from The Transmitter

A new atlas of abstracts visualizes the field of human brain mapping—where does your work fit?

Satrajit Ghosh talks to Mac Shine about a community-built tool that places every abstract from the 2026 Organization for Human Brain Mapping meeting inside a semantic map of the broader neuroscience literature. Finding your neighbors in that space might matter more than you think.

By Mac Shine
9 June 2026 | 3 min read

The illusion of AI consciousness: Lessons from human unconscious processing

Complex, goal-directed and even emotionally responsive behavior can unfold without awareness, providing a useful lens for interpreting artificial systems.

By Vanessa Hadid, Karim Jerbi, John W. Krakauer
8 June 2026 | 0 min watch
Research image of cell-surface protein LPHN2.

‘Push-pull’ recipe for neural wiring used in multiple brain regions

A versatile pair of proteins steers neurons toward their targets and helps establish the brain’s sensory maps, new studies suggest.

By Holly Barker
5 June 2026 | 5 min read