Psychologist Darold Treffert of the University of Wisconsin has been studying savants for over 40 years. “A savant by definition,” he explains, “is somebody who has a mental handicap of some sort with... an island of genius.” The difference between a savant and a genius, therefore, is the disability. For George Widener, this disability is autism – a condition that leads to awkwardness and social isolation. At the age of seven, George spotted a calendar and was intrigued by “the magic of the rows of numbers.” Since then, he has found comfort in numbers, compiling lists of figures and calendars spanning centuries. He can now identify the day of the week from any given date.
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