Trait tied to autism may explain emergence of realistic art
May 14 (UPI) -- Some 30,000 years ago, in the midst of the Ice Age, cartoonish caricatures of animals gave way to more realistic art. New research suggests the shift in aesthetic could be explained by "detail focus," a trait linked to autism. Seemingly all at once, detailed depictions of bears, bison, horses and lions began to appear in significant numbers in Ice Age caves. Scientists have struggled to account for the sudden change. Researchers have previously suggested psychotropic substances inspired the explosion of detail-oriented drawings, but a new study discounts such an explanation. Instead, archaeologists at the University of York argue a trait linked with autism, called detail focus, jumpstarted the trend. "Detail focus is what determines whether you can draw realistically; you...