Daniel Tammet

Daniel Paul Tammet, born Daniel Paul Corney on January 31, 1979, in Barking, London, is an English writer and savant. The eldest of nine children, he experienced epileptic seizures as a young child. At age 25, he was diagnosed with Asperger syndrome and savant syndrome by Simon Baron-Cohen of the University of Cambridge Autism Research Centre. In 2000, he enrolled at the Open University, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree with first-class honors in the humanities. He legally changed his surname to Tammet, an Estonian word meaning “oak tree,” reflecting his interest in languages.

Tammet gained international recognition through his autobiography, “Born on a Blue Day” (2006), which detailed his early life with Asperger syndrome and savant syndrome. This work was critically acclaimed and named a “Best Book for Young Adults” by the American Library Association in 2008. His second book, “Embracing the Wide Sky” (2009), became a bestseller in France. In 2012, his collection of essays, “Thinking in Numbers,” was published and serialized as BBC Radio 4’s “Book of the Week.” Tammet was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts in 2012, acknowledging his significant intellectual and cultural contributions. His works have been translated into more than 20 languages, showcasing his global impact.

Beyond his literary career, Tammet has demonstrated remarkable numerical and linguistic skills. In 2004, he set a European record by reciting pi to 22,514 digits from memory. He is also a polyglot, fluent in 10 languages and even devising his own constructed language called Mänti, influenced by Finnic languages. His abilities have been the subject of scientific study, with researchers investigating the neurological underpinnings of his savant memory and synaesthesia. Tammet aims to bridge the gap between savant abilities and typical cognition, advocating for the idea that savant-like ways of thinking could be taught and developed.