Autism was key to human evolution, new study claims

Is controversial information, for some religious questions. But it is important to know scientific research

Autism was key to human evolution, new study claims

 
Autism was key to human evolution, new study claims
 
By Penny Spikins With The Conversation
PUBLISHED: 16:53 EDT, 27 March 2017 | UPDATED: 16:58 EDT, 27 March 2017
  • Autistic people can have a range of skills such as artistic ability or good memory 
  • A high number of people not diagnosed with autism have autistic traits too 
  • The incorporation of some of these skills into a community would have played a vital role in the development of specialists
  • We know through genetic research that autism and autistic traits have been part of what makes us human for a long time
When you think of someone with autism, what do you think of?
It might be someone with a special set of talents or unique skills – such as natural artistic ability or a remarkable memory. 
It could also be someone with enhanced abilities in engineering or mathematics, or an increased focus on detail.
Research has shown that some key autism genes are part of a shared ape heritage, which predates the 'split' that led us along a 'human' path. This was when our ancient ape ancestors separated from other apes that are alive today. Other autism genes are more recent in evolutionary terms – though they are still more than 100,000-years-ol
more