<p>The reason Charles Darwin got to go on the HMS Beagle was that the captain was looking for a travelling companion (besides the crew, who the captain couldn’t “casually” interact with). Darwin’s demeanor and personality impressed the captain enough that he overlooked Darwin’s nose, which he felt suggested laziness. (Oh phrenology, how wacky thou art.)</p>
<p>After Darwin returned from his voyage, an ornithologist friend helped him identify his famous finches (which Darwin, not being an ornithologist, had thought were various types of blackbirds, wrens, etc, because their beaks differed so greatly.) Then, as he began to develop his theory of natural selection, he contacted various scientist friends to bounce ideas off them and get suggestions and feedback.</p>
<p>What I’m trying to say here is that most science involves a lot of collaboration, cooperation, and social interaction. Part of the goal of science is not only to make your own discoveries, but to allow other people to BUILD off your discoveries. It is easier to encourage this if you interact with people and build a rapport. It would certainly be possible for someone with Asperger’s to be a scientist, but IMO it would definitely be a drawback, not a benefit.</p>