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Macroscope

neurodiversity

Named in 1998 on the model of 'biodiversity', incubated for a decade in self-advocacy communities, then carried by one prize-winning book, corporate hiring programs, and TikTok into everyday speech.

1995 to 2026, 4 sources

Gestation: first sustained attestation to ignition (ngram)GestationCrystallization: ignition to peak (ngram)CrystallizationIgnition 2013: first crossing of 10% of peak with sustained growth (ngram)Ignition 2013Peak 2022: maximum of smoothed series (ngram)Peak 20220%25%50%75%100%1995200020052010201520202025Logistic fit1998-09-30: Blume, 'Neurodiversity' in The Atlantic2001-12: Silberman, 'The Geek Syndrome' in Wired2004-10-16: Wikipedia article created ("Neurodiversity")2013: SAP neurodiversity hiring program2015: NeuroTribes wins the Samuel Johnson Prize2020: TikTok self-diagnosis wave begins

Diamonds are dated events from the historical record. Click one.

Gestation 1997 to 2013Crystallization 2013 to 2022

Measured on Google Books

Growth rate k
0.655/yr
Rise midpoint
2018
Fit quality r²
0.973
Post-peak half-life
still on the plateau

The dated record

  1. 1998-09-30 Blume, 'Neurodiversity' in The Atlanticmedia
  2. 2001-12 Silberman, 'The Geek Syndrome' in Wiredmedia
  3. 2004-10-16 Wikipedia article created ("Neurodiversity")platform
  4. 2013 SAP neurodiversity hiring programinstitutional
  5. 2015 NeuroTribes wins the Samuel Johnson Prizebook
  6. 2020 TikTok self-diagnosis wave beginsplatform