This has been a year like no other. Our lives were upended in the first quarter as the novel coronavirus spread to every corner of the globe. Universities and health centers shuttered, and researchers and clinicians found themselves grappling with tough new questions: Can my research or clinical trial continue remotely? What happens to my study participants or lab animals? How do I provide adequate telehealth services? And who is going to look after my children, home from school all day long?

The autism research community has been figuring it out — and generating a flurry of research that Spectrum staff have covered from their kitchen tables and comfiest chairs, thanks to video interviews, virtual conferences, drone photoshoots and endless Zoom sessions. Here are some of our 2020 highlights.