“36 is small, dark and shaped like a moth” - Interview with Daniel Tammet, an autistic savant

The Briton Daniel Tammet has Asperger’s syndrome, a form of autism. This is not what makes him extraordinary. However, he has an ability which is called synaesthesia and which lets him perceive numbers as colours, shapes and textures. This combination makes him a real genius concerning numbers and languages, one of around 100 “autistic savants” worldwide.

But there is one thing only he is able to do: he can describe everything that happens in his mind – a treasure for every scientist. The 28-years-old man talked with REHACARE.de about his capabilities and which impact they have on his life.

01.03.2008

Daniel Tammet really has brains
© Tammet

REHACARE.de: What are your special capabilities that distinguish you from others?
Daniel Tammet I see numbers as shapes with their own colours, textures and even sometimes personalities. With these number shapes I can perform calculations in my head and remember very long sequences of digits. In 2004, I set the European record by reciting the number Pi (3.141...) from memory to 22,514 places. I also know 10 languages and can learn to speak a new language in a matter of days. I'm also creating my own language called Mänti.

REHACARE.de: Your ability to see numbers as shapes is called synaesthesia. What does this mean?
Daniel Tammet I think that synaesthesia is a symptom of something called hyper connectivity in the brain, which is caused by conditions like autism. It means that information from one part of my brain flows into other parts whereas in most people each part is kept separate and specialised.

REHACARE.de: As an example: How does the number 36 look like for you?
Daniel Tammet 36 is small, dark and shaped like a moth.

REHACARE.de: For scientists you are unique because you are an autistic savant but nevertheless you can communicate about what happens in your head when you are calculating. Do you like being a study object?
Daniel Tammet I've been studied by many scientists both in the UK and US and am happy to help researchers learn more about the human brain. I learn more about how my mind works which is very helpful for me.

REHACARE.de: Are you happy to have these abilities?
Daniel Tammet Yes, very happy because I'm not afraid to be different or to show that it's possible to be autistic and happy at the same time. Especially learning languages means that I can travel and make friends with people from all over the world.

REHACARE.de: Did you suffer from your disability sometimes?
Daniel Tammet Having Asperger’s syndrome means that there are things I find difficult to do that most people don't: I can't drive and find it hard to remember people's faces. I also don't like having my routine broken, or being in a noisy environment.

REHACARE.de: How do you manage to live an independent life despite your autism?
Daniel Tammet I focused very hard on learning how to live independently - it wasn't easy and I had to push myself very hard because it's scary to do things that you aren't comfortable with. But I wanted to participate in society and to have a full and happy life.

REHACARE.de: You called numbers your only friends when you were a child. How is this today?
Daniel Tammet As a child I found it very difficult to make friends - loneliness was a big problem for me. Nowadays I've learnt enough social skills to blend in pretty well and have a relationship and friends. And I consider myself very lucky and happy. Numbers are still important to me, but they are not the most important things in my life.

REHACARE.de: You had to practice a lot to build up social abilities. How did you do this?
Daniel Tammet I observed other people carefully to learn how they had conversations and what they did in various social situations. In this way I picked up many skills. Otherwise it was mostly trial and error. If I made a mistake I learned from it. As a result of all this practice I blend in socially pretty well nowadays.

REHACARE.de: Are you able to earn money with your abilities?
Daniel Tammet My book 'Born On A Blue Day' has been very successful - it's been or being translated into around 20 languages around the world. As a result I'm able to write full-time nowadays. I'm currently working on my second book about the science of the mind. I plan to write a third book later this year on faith.

REHACARE.de: You also offer e-mail courses for languages.
Daniel Tammet I offer language courses through my website Optimnem.co.uk because I wanted to help people learn a second language, because I know how important and useful learning another language can be.

REHACARE.de: Which career plans do you have for the future?
Daniel Tammet I have an interest in helping endangered languages because half the world's languages are likely to disappear this century if no action is taken. To me that's as important an issue as helping the environment - language has given me so much, I'm glad to give something back if I can.

Natascha Mörs

REHACARE.de

- For more about Daniel Tammet please visit his website: www.Optimnem.org.uk