Big Ideas The Knowledge Gene — an incredible story of the origins of human creativity
Dec 24, 2025
Dr. Lynne Kelly, a scientist and author, shares insights on the 'knowledge gene' linked to human creativity. Musician Hilary Blackshaw discusses her autistic son’s incredible memory for bird calls, while artist Jane Rusden reflects on how dyslexia enriches her artistic landscape work. They explore the intersection of memory, art, and neurodiversity, highlighting the strength in lived experiences. The conversation calls for a renaissance in education, urging the integration of music and art to enhance learning for all.
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Landscape-As-Memory
- Indigenous memory systems combine song, story, ceremony and landscape to store huge amounts of accurate information over millennia.
- Lynne Kelly shows these systems use the brain's place and rehearsal mechanisms to make knowledge robust and repeatable.
From Veranda Wood To Bird Encyclopedia
- Lynne built a handheld memory device inspired by the Lukasa and encoded all 412 Victorian bird species using beads, stories and song.
- She could later recall species taxonomically and identify birds from partial features using that device.
A Supergene Linked To Memory Skills
- The NF1 'supergene' affects music, spatial ability and narrative skills, implying a genetic basis for many memory-related capacities.
- Kelly links NF1's cognitive effects to the suite of skills humans use for collective knowledge and creativity.