I don't fall on the asperger's spectrum, but I can relate anyways. It took me years to figure out the right balance between asking questions and just letting people talk.

Letting people talk about themselves can be horribly boring and a lot of us just smile and pretend that it is interesting because we don't want to hurt someone's feelings. For me, shoe shopping and celebrities are my two least favorite topics (unless it is about the rare celebrity that I admire for having actual talent.)

Sometimes you can find one new interesting tidbit among the banal. It's just a matter of being patient and kind. Science is way cool btw!!!