Daniel Tammet

High-Functioning Autistic Savant (One of Only 50 in the World)

Embracing the Wide Sky: A Tour Across the Horizons of the Mind

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The key to unlocking the secrets of the human brain may lie in the head of Daniel Tammet. One of only 50 high-functioning autistic savants, Tammet was recently named one of the world's 100 Living Geniuses in a British poll; Entertainment Weekly says he possesses "the most remarkable mind on the planet." Unique in his ability to live an independent life and to articulate his savant experience, Tammet hears other people's voices as radio static, and he sees numbers as shapes with texture and color. His memories play like symphonies.

Tammet's brain -- with its astounding linguistic, mathematical and memory abilities -- is the subject of intense media attention (David Letterman, 60 minutes) and worldwide scientific study. He first caught the world's attention in the documentary Brainman, in which he recited Pi to over 22,000 digits and learned a new language -- Icelandic --in only a few days.

His memoir, Born on a Blue Day, has sold a half million copies and has been translated into 18 languages; one reviewer said it contains "the clearest prose this side of Hemingway." In his new book, Embracing the Wide Sky: A Tour Across the Horizons on My Mind, Tammet "seamlessly blends science and personal experience in a powerful paean to the mysteries and beauty of the brain." (Publishers Weekly) Tammet now runs Optimnem, a company providing language learning instruction to thousands around the globe.

Daniel Tammet Speech Topics

Embracing the Wide Sky: A Tour Across the Horizons of The Mind

In this talk, Daniel Tammet speaks with his characteristic clarity to shed light on the mysteries of savants' incredible mental abilities -- and our own. The differences between savant and non-savant minds may be exaggerated; autistic thought, he argues, is an extreme variation of a kind that we all do, from daydreaming to the use of metaphors. With scientific research and descriptions of how his own mind works, he explains how our natural intuitions can help us to learn a foreign language, and why there is more to intelligence than IQ. Of note are his original ideas concerning the genesis of genius and exceptional creativity, which he illustrates with examples from the breakthroughs, and breakdowns, of some of history's greatest minds. Pointing to the immense potential in all of us, Tammet leaves you with an imaginative portrait of how we think, learn, remember and create.

Born on a Blue Day: Inside the Extraordinary Mind of an Autistic Savant

Daniel Tammet, speaking with poise, humor and self-awareness, shares his journey in overcoming and coping with autism. Called "The Rosettea Stone of Autism," he can perform incredible feats of memory and visualize numbers in a way that has cognitive scientists buzzing. Yet, his greatest achievements may be the ones most people take for granted: moving out of his parents' home, supporting himself and having a long-term relationship. He offers illuminating personal insight into the worlds of autism, Asperger's, and other severe cognitive impairments. He hopes to make the world a more welcoming place for people with such disabilities, and to show that, often times, these people lead literally extra-ordinary lives.

VIDEOS

LINKS

Optimnem: The Official Website of Daniel Tammet

BOOKS

Embracing the Wide Sky

Born on a Blue Day

ARTICLES

New York Times Profile of Daniel Tammett

All Speakers > Daniel Tammet

GAYLE LEMMON at TEDxWOMEN

"If you're going to talk about jobs, then you have to talk about entrepreneurs," says Gayle Tzemach Lemmon. "And if you're talking about entrepreneurs in conflict and post-conflict settings, then you must talk about women." Lemmon is the author of the New York Times bestselling book The Dressmaker of Khair Khana and a Contributing Editor-at-Large for Newsweek and The Daily Beast. She has devoted her life to shedding light on the resiliency of female entrepreneurs, and their remarkable power to reshape local economies. By recognizing and investing in these female breadwinners, Lemmon says, we can help grow economies of all development levels around the world.