I make a living convincing editors to let me write about stuff I think is cool or thought-provoking. The subjects I’ve covered, limited only by my editors’ skepticism, include dinosaur track-based detective work, creationist biology classes in Galapagos schools, and the connections between suffering and selflessness.
Elizabeth Svoboda
From this contributor
Mapping the futures of autistic children
Researchers can roughly project what autistic children's lives will look like years down the road. But how good is their crystal ball — and what are its benefits?
Ben Barres: A transgender scientist shares his story
Ben Barres agonized over whether to come out as male or commit suicide. In a posthumous memoir, he makes clear that coming out was the right choice.
Ben Barres: A transgender scientist shares his story
By
Elizabeth Svoboda, Undark
14 November 2018 | 6 min read
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Myelin may serve as an energy reserve for the brain, according to recent findings, prompting neuroscientists to rethink how the brain stores, shares and protects energy.
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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.
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Jill Adams
26 May 2026 | 2 min read
Brain’s blue spot possesses unexpected structure-function ties
The spatial arrangement of neurons in the locus coeruleus of mice corresponds with the cells’ targets across the brain, according to a new study.
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The spatial arrangement of neurons in the locus coeruleus of mice corresponds with the cells’ targets across the brain, according to a new study.
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Holly Barker
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