A subtle change occurred in our evolutionary history 100,000 years ago which allowed people who thought and behaved differently – such as individuals with autism - to be integrated into society, academics from the University of York have concluded. The change happened with the emergence of collaborative morality - an investment in the well-being of everyone in the group - and meant people who displayed autistic traits would not only have been accepted but possibly respected for their unique skills. It is likely our ancestors would have had autism, with genetics suggesting the condition has a long evolutionary history. But rather than being left behind, or at best tolerated, the research team conclude that many would have played an important role in their social group because of their unique…