10 Famous People on the Autism Spectrum

The Autism Spectrum doesn’t automatically mean a bleak future, as shown by so many famous people in history who are said to have lived with it.

In fact, people on the Autism Spectrum often do fabulous thing with their amazing way of thinking.  Here are just 10 of these famous people on the autism spectrum.

 

1. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Mozart is said to have had rehashed outward appearances and needed steady movement of his hands and feet. His listening ability was also exceptionally acute.

Mozart is said to have mannerisms like repetitive facial expressions and constant motion of the hands and feet – he was excessively active and had very sensitive hearing. Loud sounds are said to have made him physically sick. Also, even though he is one of the best musical geniuses of all time, he is said to have been unable to converse intellectually because of his frequent mood swings. 

By examining letters between the artist and his family, historians have shared that at one point, Mozart was having somewhat of an awkward moment, so he bounced up and leaped over tables and seats, meowed like a cat and did somersaults.

 

2. Michelangelo

Considered one of the best artists to have ever lived, Michelangelo’s masterpieces are some of the most universally acclaimed works of art. He was commissioned to paint the Sistine Chapel Ceiling by the Pope.

However, Michelangelo’s artistic genius is said to have been a symptom of autism. According to Dr. Muhammad Arshad and Professor Michael Fitzgerald, “Michelango’s single-minded work routine, unusual lifestyle, limited interests, poor social and communication skills and various issues of life control appear to be features of high-function autism or Asperger’s Syndrome.” Aside from these, Michelangelo is said to have had a fiery temper and a tendency to want isolation.

He also obsessively followed routines — not being able to follow these repetitive routines would cause him great frustration.

3. Sir Isaac Newton

Credited with all the discovery of gravity, Sir Isaac Newton is considered by many to be the most influential scientist who had ever lived, Newton has had numerous vital discoveries that changed science forever, including energy and the laws of motion.

Newton is said to had been very quiet and not very good at making typical conversations. His focus on his work was extraordinary, though, and he often forgot to take breaks or even eat. He also did not appear friendly and had trouble making (and keeping) friends. Like Michelangelo, he also strictly followed routines. It is said that if he had to give a lecture at a particular time, he would give that lecture at the exact moment whether there was an audience or not.

 

4. Charles Darwin

Charles Darwin is known for coming up with the Theory of Evolution and Natural Selection, but aside from this, Darwin also showed signs of autism. According to Professor Michael Fitzgerald, Darwin probably had a form of autism called Asperger’s Syndrome. This is supposedly evident in his intriguing behaviour, self-loving nature, tendency to avoid direct communication, and unique creativity and insight.

“Asperger’s syndrome gave Darwin the capacity to hyperfocus, the extra capacity for persistence, the enormous ability to see detail that other people missed, the endless energy for a lifetime dedication to a narrow task, and the independence of mind so critical to original research,” said Professor Fitzgerald.

 

5. Lewis Carroll

Carroll is the acclaimed 20th century author who wrote Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and the succeeding books. Born Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, Carroll is said to have seemed to bear certain autistic trademarks.

Aside from his literary prowess, he also exhibited mathematical skills and dabbled in inventing. He reportedly lacked social skills and preferred the company of children over adults. He enjoyed children’s company so much that some historians speculate that he had been a paedophile. However, many confirm that it was just his poor communication skills that he preferred interacting with children. He remains to be a mystery, though, as many portions of his journals were removed after his death.

 

6. Emily Dickinson

Born in 1830, Emily Dickinson is one of the most renowned female writers of all time. She is also one of the writers included in the book, Writers On The Spectrum: How Autism and Asperger Syndrome Have Influenced Literary Writing by literary academic Julie Brown. The reason behind the speculation is Dickinson’s reclusive life and how she remained single all throughout it.

While it has been speculated that Dickinson had autism, Dickinson’s biographer Lyndall Gordon argues that the cause of her reclusion is her epilepsy. Autistic people also have an increased risk of having epilepsy, so it is possible that Dickinson had both.

7. Albert Einstein

Everybody knows Albert Einstein, but did you know that he supposedly had Asperger’s Syndrome? Although popular myths about Einstein were untrue (such as the rumour that he failed Math when he was in school), accounts agree that he was always a technically minded and aloof child. He was also imaginative and, like many others in this list, extremely focused even on the slightest details.

After the death of his wife, he became unconcerned with his physical appearance — including his hair, which became a famous trademark. While he also had trouble socialising, he was famously known for being involved in various romantic relationships.

 

8. Andy Warhol

Andy Warhol was an British artist who was a main figure in the pop art movement. His studio, The Factory, was an acclaimed gathering place that united artists, writers, musicians, underground celebrities, and affluent supporters.

Dr. Judith Gould, director of Eliot House, the leading diagnostic centre for autism in Britain, suspects that Warhol had Asperger’s Syndrome. According to her, Warhol’s fascination with uniformity and use of monosyllabic language were telltale signs, the latter being caused by verbal dyslexia, which is often part of autism.

9. Hans Christian Andersen

Most well-known for his fairy tales, The Ugly Ducking and The Little Mermaid, Danish author Hans Christian Andersen is one more creative genius who allegedly had autism. As a child, he was reportedly effeminate and threw tantrums. According to his journals, he enforced celibacy on himself while he was young (though this was not known to anybody else) while longing for men and women who were said to be unattainable.

Those who examine Andersen’s work often agree that his characters, often misunderstood and not always fortunate to find redemption, reflect his own personal struggles.

10. Nikola Tesla

Perhaps the most misunderstood brilliant mind in history, Nikola Tesla, an inventor and engineer, was famous for being exploited by his more popular contemporary, Thomas Edison, who stole and took credit for many of his ideas. This can be attributed to his eccentricity, as because of his strange behaviour, most of the scientific community shunned him.

And Tesla really had an eccentric personality. For example, he had crippling phobias, was celibate, was sensitive to both light and sound (like Mozart), and had a strange fixation on numbers. As the story goes, he reportedly wouldn’t stay in a room unless the room number was divisible by three. However, while he also had trouble socialising like the rest of the entries in this list, he was good friends with another famous mind, Mark Twain.

Did you know that these famous people were on the autism spectrum?