A true love of cars.

Ainan is an unusual boy...and I mean that in a good way. One of his unusual qualities is his retentive memory. Ainan collects new information, much as middle-aged men collect fat around their waist: effortlessly and involuntarily - it just keeps on piling up, no matter what he does.

Let me give you an example. Ainan likes cars. In fact, he really likes cars. He actually takes the time to seek out new ones, read about them, analyze and critique their designs and their engineering and, often propose something that would work even better. In the course of his perusal over a wide range of car magazines and books, something that would be odd in another child, or adult, has happened: all this information has just stuck. It has accumulated within him, like a dripping tap filling a swimming pool. He is just bursting with car related information. It is quite surprising to hear him talk about them, if you are unaccustomed to his ways.

Several months ago, he sat down, one day, to make a little list. Off the top of his head, without any recourse to external reference sources of any kind (since his computer has no ability to connect to the internet, for good parental reasons), he made a list of the cars he knew. The list is very striking in a number of ways. Firstly, is that he ordered the brand names of the cars alphabetically - and he did this, in his head, before writing them down. Secondly, is the detail with which he refers to the cars - he always includes full model numbers. Thirdly, is the sheer vastness of the list, when you consider that it means that he is personally acquainted with the characteristics, design, engine power and engineering of each and every one of them.

Here is Ainan's list, as he wrote it, composing it, on the fly, with only the "Google" in his head to work with:

"CARS I KNOW OF


Alfa Romeo:
147
8C
Brera
Brera Spyder
Zagato TZ3
156
159

Amuse Powerhouse:
S2000 GT1 Turbo

Ariel:
Atom 200
Atom 300
Atom 500

Art Morrison’s:
Corvette 60

Ascari:
A10
KZ1

Aston Martin:
DB9
DB8
DB7
DB6
DB5
DBRS9
V8 Vantage
Vanquish
DBS
DBR9
V8 Vantage N24

Audi:
TT
TT RS
R8
R8 V10
R8 Spyder
R9
Infineon R10
RSQ
RS4
RS5
RS6
A1
A4
A8
S4
Q7
Q5
S6
S8
R8 GT
R8 GT RS

Bentley:
Brooklands
Flying Spur
Arnage

Blitz:
Dunlop ER34 Skyline

BMW:
M3 Coupe
M3 4-Door
M3 GT2 Le Mans
M5 Coupe
M5 4-Door
M6 Coupe
1
3
5
6
X5
X6
135i
760Li
750Li
328i
Z4
Z4 M Coupe
335i
550i
650i

Brabus:
SL Biturbo

Bristol:
Fighter
Fighter T

Bugatti:
Veyron 16.4
Veyron FBG per Hermes
Veyron Pur Sang
Veyron Grand Sport
Veyron Linea Vincero by Mansory
Veyron Sang Noir
Veyron Pegaso
Type 47
Type 57
Atlantic
Royale
16C Galibier 16.2S
Baby Bugatti
Veyron Super Sport

Cadillac:
CTS-V
DTS
Escalade
Escalade EXT
SRX
STS-V
XLR-V

Chaparral:
2E
2D
2J

Chevrolet:
Corvette
Corvette Z06
Corvette ZR1
Volt
Impala
Cobalt SS
Camaro SS
Cobalt
Camaro
Corvette Callaway
Corvette Z51

Chrysler:
ME-FourTwelve
300C

Citroen:
GT by Citroen
C3
C3 Picasso
C4
C4 Picasso
C4 Grand Picasso
C5
C5 Picasso

Dacia:
Lancia
Lancia Beta Coupe

Daihatsu:
OFC
OFC-1
Copen
Terios

Dodge:
Ram
Challenger
Challenger SRT8
Viper
Viper GTS
Viper SRT10
Charger
Charger SRT10
Nitro
Viper ACR

Ferrari:
Enzo
FXX
FXX Evoluzione
512BB
360
360 Modena
360 CS
California
430
F430 CS
F430 Scuderia
458 Italia
458 CS
F2005 F1
F2007 F1
599 HGTE
599 GTB Fiorano
612 F1
599 GTO

Fiat:
Abarth 500 SS
Panda
Panda Mammy


Ford:
GT
GT LM
Focus
Focus RS
Focus STi
GT90
Shelby GT
Shelby GT500
Model T

Gumpert:
Apollo S
Apollo Rr

Honda:
Integra
Integra Type R
Civic
Civic Mugen Type R
City
FCX Clarity

Hummer:
H1
H2
H3

Hyundai:
Sonata
I10
Santefe
Genesis Concept
Veracruz
Veracruz Limited

Infiniti:
G35
EX Concept


Jaguar:
XK
XKR
XJ
XJS
XJ220

Jeep:
J8
Patriot
Grand Cherokee

Koenigsegg:
CC8S
CCGT
CCR
CCX
CCXR
Agera

KTM:
X-bow
X-bow R

Lamborghini:
Gallardo
Gallardo LP560-4
Gallardo Superleggera
Gallardo LP570-4 SV
Gallardo LP550-4 Balboni
Gallardo LP570-4 Blancpain Super trefeo
Murcielago
Murcielago LP640-4 SuperVeloce
Murcielago LP670-4 SuperVeloce
Underground Racing LP670-4 SuperVeloce
Reventon
Reventon Spyder
Diablo
Diablo VTTT
Countach
Jalpa
Jota
Sesto Elemento

Land Rover:
Discovery
Freelander
Freelander 2
Range Rover
Evoque

Lexus:
LF-A
IS-F
LS600HL

Lotus:
Evora
Exige
Exige S
Elise
Elise 111R

Maserati:
Quattroporte
MC12

Maybach:
62S

Mazda:
Furai
5
3
CX-9
RX-7
RX-8
MX-5
Miata

Mclaren:
MP4-12C
F1
F1 LM

Mercedes Benz:
SL55 AMG
SL AMG Black
CLK55 AMG
CLK AMG Black
SLR Mclaren
SLS Gullwing
E63 AMG
600 Grosser
CL600
CLK GTR
C63 AMG
SLR Mclaren 722

Mercury:
Marina

Meyers:
Manxster

Mines:
EN34 Skyline GT-R

Mini:
Cooper
Cooper S
Cooper D


Mitsubishi:
Lancer EVO I
Lancer EVO II
Lancer EVO III
Lancer EVO IV
Lancer EVO V
Lancer EVO VI
Lancer EVO VII
Lancer EVO VIII
Lancer EVO IX
Lancer EVO X
Lancer EVO X FQ-360
Lancer EVO X FQ-400

Mitsuoka:
Orochi
Galue

Nissan:
GT-R R34
GT-R Prototype
GT-R Concept
GT-R Spec-V
GT-R R33
350Z
370Z

Noble:
M14
M15
M400
M600

Panoz:
LMP-1 Roadster S

Peugeot:
308 RCZ
408
4008

Porsche:
Cayman
Cayman S
911 GT2
911 GT3
911 GT3 RS
911 GT1
911 Turbo
911 GT2 RS
Cayenne
Cayenne Turbo S
Panemera
9FF GT9
Boxster
Boxster S
918 Spyder
928

Proton:
Saga 12V
Gen-2
Savvy

Radical:
SR8
SR8 LM
SR3

Renault:
Clio
Clio Sport
Avantime


Rolls-Royce:
Ghost
Phantom
H.J Mulliner Park Ward

Rossion:
Q1

Saab:
9-5
9-5 Aero
9-3

Saleen:
S7
S7 TT

ShelbySuperCars:
Ultimate Aero
Ultimate Aero TT
Ultimate Aero EV

Spyker:
LM85
Ailerone
Ailerone Spyder
Zagato


Subaru:
Impreza
Impreza WRX STi
Legacy
Outback

Suzuki:
Cuppacino
Swift
Swift Sport
SX4
XL7 Hill Climb

Toyota:
Camry
Camry G
Corolla
Corolla Altis
Hilux
Hilux Invincible
Supra

Tuscan:
Speed Six
Eight Speed
Sagaris
Twelve speed

Vauxhall:
Astra
Astra VXR8
Insignia
Vectra
Vectra VXR8

Volkswagen:
Golf GTi
Golf V GTi
Pheaton
Scirocco
Scirocco TDi
Scirocco R
Touareg W12
Touareg V10
Touran
Polo
Passat
Nardo W12
Eos
Jetta

Volvo:
XC90
XC60
C70
S80
C30 Polestar

Westfield:
XT1

Zenvo:
ST1

356 Cars"

When I saw that, even I was taken aback, because for most of us, the apparently random numbers and letters and arbitrary names of cars, just blur into one undifferentiated mass, after a handful or two of them. Yet, not for Ainan: for him, they are each unique, discrete memories of great detail and power.

Please take a look at that list and reflect on the fact that it was written spontaneously, by a ten year old boy, as a summary of the cars he was personally acquainted with. Then think again this thought: Ainan is like that with everything he is interested in. He need only develop an interest in something and it is not long before he becomes knowledgeable beyond one's most unleashed imagination. It is quite startling to behold - and a little humbling, for those who might be insecure about themselves.

The other thing to consider is that, for Ainan, such displays of erudition, take no effort at all. All he had to do was sit down, and without any seeming difficulty, order the list alphabetically, in his head - and write it out. To do so, he had, of course, necessarily, to sort through every car he had ever come across, and place its brand in order, before he wrote them down. What is even more remarkable is that he didn't go back and change anything, that he wrote: it was all written, in one direction, top to bottom, in alphabetical order, with no subsequent alterations. Frankly, it was spooky, even to me.

I have been meaning to write of this deed of Ainan's for some months, now...but I have only just managed to find the time, and attention to do so. I think it is worth recording it, as an exemplar of what his mind is capable of, with regard to information retention and processing, in a rather savant-like manner.

Of course, cars are not the most serious matter in the world. However, the very same mental capacity that allowed him to do what he did, could be applied most helpfully in many other areas. I hope that, as Ainan grows older he will find ways to apply his uncanny abilities, in uniquely productive ways.

(If you would like to learn more of Ainan Celeste Cawley, 10, or his gifted brothers, Fintan, 6 and Tiarnan, 4, this month, please go to: http://scientific-child-prodigy.blogspot.com/2006/10/scientific-child-prodigy-guide.htmlI also write of gifted education, child prodigy, child genius, adult genius, savant, megasavant, HELP University College, the Irish, the Malays, Singapore, Malaysia, IQ, intelligence and creativity.

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Superhuman Genius Documentary ITV1 and ITV2

Last night, Ainan, eight, appeared in a documentary on ITV1 in the UK, entitled "Superhuman Genius". He was one of five people featured, including the American savant, Kim Peek, the American child prodigy artist, Akiane, Ben Pridmore, the UK Memory Champion and Ariel Lanyi, an Israeli child prodigy pianist.

The show is being repeated tonight at 9 pm on ITV2, for those able to catch it, in the UK.

I haven't seen the show myself but I understand it showed Ainan at work on Chemistry at Singapore Polytechnic.

Filming the show was an enjoyable experience for Ainan and one that opened him up a bit, I feel. He is unlearning his essential shyness, year by year and experiences like this are a help.

For those able to see the show it just offers a glimpse of Ainan at work - there is a lot more to be told. It is, however, an introduction to him and his work.

So, do tune in to Superhuman Genius, ITV2, if you are in the UK this evening.

(If you would like to learn more of Ainan Celeste Cawley, a scientific child prodigy, aged eight years and seven months, or his gifted brothers, Fintan, five years exactly, and Tiarnan, twenty-eight months, please go to: http://scientific-child-prodigy.blogspot.com/2006/10/scientific-child-prodigy-guide.html I also write of gifted education, IQ, intelligence, the Irish, the Malays, Singapore, College, University, Chemistry, Science, genetics, left-handedness, precocity, child prodigy, child genius, baby genius, adult genius, savant, wunderkind, wonderkind, genio, гений ребенок prodigy, genie, μεγαλοφυία θαύμα παιδιών, bambino, kind.

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When advice, is not advice.

Long ago, my brother Josh was starting out on his career in the financial world.

(I have referred to him elsewhere in one story that told of his savant-like gift for mental calculation. As I noted then, he has the gift, but he does not have a savant's impairment - but is, in fact, profoundly gifted.)

It was at this time that he was given what I have recently come to regard as a mischievous piece of advice. This supposedly helpful adviser was aware of Josh's ability to do complex calculations instantly and instinctively, in his mind, without reference to a calculator or computer. In the financial world, at that time, there were many roles which involved the manipulation of numbers, the analysis of numerical data and the ability to understand all things mathematical. There would seem, therefore, to be one obvious piece of advice that Josh could have been given...but what he was actually advised to do was something altogether different.

This adviser told Josh, as I heard the story, many years ago, to steer clear of any role that involved direct interaction with numbers. He argued that it would become unbearable, for one such as Josh, with his innate understanding of number, to be surrounded by numbers, all day. Josh, as a young man, just out of University, took this advice at face value - and duly steered clear of any role having such direct and considerable daily involvement with numbers.

Think about that for a moment. Josh had a unique gift for instant calculation and interpretation of numbers. He could do what no other could, numerically. The possible implications for effective outcomes for one such as that, placed in a situation which allowed the interpretation of numbers to have a real world effect, are boundless. Truly, he could have done something very interesting indeed. Yet, he was advised not to become involved with numbers. I wonder at the mischief behind such advice. Josh was being advised to avoid playing to his greatest strength, being advised to hide his talents, to operate in an area in which they would have no direct use. Such advice could only have been meant unkindly, I think - unless the adviser truly misunderstood the situation - but I think that unlikely.

Josh never did apply his numerical gift, professionally, as far as I am aware. He took the advice and let his calculatory gift lie dormant and rarely called upon. That is, I feel, a pity.

I tell this tale for an obvious reason. You or your children may have unusual gifts. At various times others, in a position of authority, may advise you or your children as to careers and courses. I would evaluate their advice with the story above in mind - and ask these questions:

Does the advice take note of the innate strengths of the child? Does the advice play to the strengths of the child - or does it ignore them? Is the adviser someone likely to be in competition at the organization with your child? If so, then look more closely still at the advice that is being given.

The gifted are not welcomed everywhere. Sometimes people feel threatened by their gifts - and do what they can to hide them, obstruct them or otherwise interfere with their expression.

Had Josh become directly involved with numbers, in an area in which the rapid understanding of their meaning and possibilities had real world implications, he would have become, in all probability, the best in his field, in the world - for no other could compete with him, in the matter of mental calculation.

In taking the advice he was given, he turned away from his most unusual strength, and played to others, instead - but I can't help but wonder what would have happened had he exercised a gift that no-one else could challenge him in.

Ensure that your child is never left to wonder such a thing, too: play to their strengths, whatever they may be.

(I should point out that Josh has led a fulfilling and interesting career, since. Yet, the point remains that there are applications for his unused gift that would have been truly remarkable.)

(If you would like to read about Ainan Celeste Cawley, Josh's nephew, a scientific child prodigy, aged seven years and six months, or his gifted brothers, Fintan, three, and Tiarnan, sixteen months, please go to: http://scientific-child-prodigy.blogspot.com/2006/10/scientific-child-prodigy-guide.html I also write of gifted education, IQ, intelligence, child prodigy, child genius, baby genius, adult genius, savant, the creatively gifted, gifted children, and gifted adults. Thanks.)

What is Savant Syndrome?

I wonder, sometimes, whether all the searchers who arrive on my site looking for "genius and savants"...or "Is my child a savant?" actually know what a savant is. I think there is much confusion about as to the distinction between a savant, a genius and a prodigy. I will therefore look at what a savant is.

Savant Syndrome is the presence of an extraordinary mental ability - of a particular limited set of kinds - in an individual who usually has some disability. It is found innately in some autistic individuals - or may sometimes be induced in previously normal people through damage to the left side of the brain. This indicates either that it is a form of compensation for left brain damage - or that the left-brain was masking its presence, until damaged and the gift could shine through.

Savants have one or more splinter skills: very deep, but very narrow abilities in such areas as maths, music or sometimes art, which allow them to display an extraordinary skill - such as lightning calculation, or the recall of long pieces of music, numbers or speech - at a single hearing. Other skills noted include calendar calculation - noting the day of the week of any day over tens of thousands of years - estimating distances accurately; telling the time without a watch; acquiring random information in a usually very narrow field at a single exposure - such as number plates, or telephone numbers and the like.

Some of the searchers to my site, seem to be unaware that there is a major difference between savant and genius. A savant is not a genius - and a genius is not a savant (though some geniuses have had savant like skills). Most savants are impaired in their general intellectual functions, though savant like gifts can exist in unimpaired individuals (but these people are not, then, called savants). The key difference between savant and genius is that a savant is not creative; whilst a genius is creative by definition.

Perhaps the most famous savant, of modern times, is Kim Peek, the inspiration for Rain Man. He is unusual in many more ways than that, however, being non-autistic - but having no corpus callosum - meaning his brain is actually two separate halves. Kim Peek has a photographic memory and can recall the contents of thousands of books word for word.

As for the difference between savant and prodigy: a savant has an over-development of at least one lower level thinking skill; a prodigy has a precocious over-development of higher level thinking skills that allow them to tackle an adult domain, while still a child.

I hope that clarifies the distinction between savant, and other forms of "gift", somewhat.

(If you would like to read of Ainan Celeste Cawley, a scientific child prodigy, aged seven years and six months, or his gifted brothers, Fintan, three, and Tiarnan, sixteen months, please go to: http://scientific-child-prodigy.blogspot.com/2006/10/scientific-child-prodigy-guide.html I also write of gifted education, IQ, intelligence, child prodigy, child genius, baby genius, adult genius, savant, the creatively gifted, gifted adults, and gifted children in general. Thanks.)

What does a boy genius read?

Over a month ago, I went into Ainan's room, at night, to make sure he was off to sleep. He wasn't: there on the bed, he sat, a large book open in front of him, the bedside light on. He didn't look up, as I entered.

I watched him as he read the book. There was quiet interest in his face - and no tiredness at all. Ainan is a "night person" - he is at his best when others feel the wish to sleep.

Quietly, I approached him and looked down at what he was reading. It was a general science encylopedia that he had had for some time. Studying the open page, I was struck by the irony of his reading. The entry was about savants.

So, Ainan, my scientific child prodigy, was reading about savants! How odd...I felt the peculiar aptness of his inquiry as I watched.

There was something else in the moment that has not left me: an understanding that, perhaps, Ainan was seeking self-knowledge, and personal insight. The article in question addressed the issue of exceptionality - and looked at both geniuses and savants and tried to answer the question: what made them the way they were?

Ainan read with great focus and interest - but no comment. He just pointed at an occasional box, to share it with me.

After a while, I left the room and Ainan alone, with his book. I felt that it was better that he follow the moment, and learn more of unusual people that somehow shared something with him, than to ensure that he adhered to the idea of a "bedtime".

I wish I'd had a camera and a good perspective: a child prodigy reading of a savant! It was touching in a way.

Prodigy and Savant: the difference?

Last week, someone arrived on my site, after a search for "the difference between prodigy and savant". Such a question is, no doubt, neurologically complex and from what I gather, there is much research to do, but I will point out a basic difference which is evident from any observation of them.

My son, Ainan Celeste Cawley, is a scientific child prodigy, aged seven years and two months. It is very clear in listening to him speak that he has an innate advantage in higher level cognitive skills: reasoning, creativity, logic, association, insight, memory for that which interests him, speed of learning, and the like. He also has a profound knowledge and understanding of the sciences that interest him. It doesn't take much conversation with him to realize these things. He is also able to think for very long periods on the matters of his interest. His concentration on a problem is such that it cannot be disturbed even by determined interruption. These characteristics are not only obvious but unusual. How does this differ from a savant?

A savant has an overdevelopment of LOWER level thinking skills: rote memory and habit formation. They do not display heightened thinking capabilities in higher level skills - in fact, they are usually notably impaired in these areas. Many scientists theorize that Savant Syndrome is a form of right brain over-compensation for left brain damage, and there is some evidence to suggest this is so. The gifts of a savant may be in areas such as calculation or music, and they often show uncanny degree of memory for their particular area. The fact that prodigies may also be found in maths and music and may also show very good memory may cause confusion between them, but I don't think anyone who had become acquainted with both categories of people, would be confused in the least. The savant shows an island of ability emerging from a general disability (usually); the prodigy shows a great gift set against a general intellectual function that usually reflects this high level capacity - they are not impaired, but gifted.

A study of maths prodigies using brain imaging techniques revealed something very interesting. The prodigies, while thinking, had levels of right brain activity six or seven times higher than the normal controls set the same task. This is a massive difference and shows that prodigies have unusual brains that operate differently from the non-prodigious: it is not just a matter of knowing more about something than others - there is a very real neurological difference at work.

It is curious that savants, too, are noted for right brain skills - but theirs are of the lower level variety and do not reflect higher level thinking at work. Furthermore, the prodigy does not show impaired left brain function, unlike the savant.

In summary: prodigies show a higher level thinking gift; savants show a lower level thinking gift. Both kinds have unusual brains that differ from the norm, visibly, in functional brain images.

(If you would like to read more of Ainan Celeste Cawley, a scientific child prodigy, or his gifted brothers, please go to: http://scientific-child-prodigy.blogspot.com/2006/10/scientific-child-prodigy-guide.html I also write of gifted education, child prodigy, child genius, adult genius, savant, the creatively gifted, gifted adults and gifted children in general. Thanks.)