Helen Pearson is a science writer based in New York City.
Helen Pearson
Freelance writer
Simons Foundation
From this contributor
Father’s advanced age feeds autism risk
Are older fathers more likely to have children with autism? A series of epidemiological studies is giving credence to the idea, suggesting that, with age, sperm may accumulate damage that increases risk in the next generation.
Sense of ‘self’ impaired in autism
People with autism struggle to see their own role in social situations. That's the conclusion from the first study to scan individualsʼ brains while they interact with another person - a technique that could lead to a diagnostic tool.
Explore more from The Transmitter
A brief history of precision self-scanning
When a researcher solved a logistical problem by going rogue, the idea proved remarkably infectious.
A brief history of precision self-scanning
When a researcher solved a logistical problem by going rogue, the idea proved remarkably infectious.
By
Lauren Gravitz
21 January 2026 | 14 min read
Sensory profiles in autism, and more
Here is a roundup of autism-related news and research spotted around the web for the week of 19 January.
Sensory profiles in autism, and more
Here is a roundup of autism-related news and research spotted around the web for the week of 19 January.
By
Jill Adams
20 January 2026 | 2 min read
Frameshift: At a biotech firm, Ubadah Sabbagh embraces the expansive world outside academia
As chief of staff at Arcadia, Ubadah Sabbagh gets to do science while also pushing the boundaries of how science gets done.
Frameshift: At a biotech firm, Ubadah Sabbagh embraces the expansive world outside academia
As chief of staff at Arcadia, Ubadah Sabbagh gets to do science while also pushing the boundaries of how science gets done.
By
Katie Moisse
20 January 2026 | 7 min read