parrot snake in defense pose.

Humans may be hardwired to fear snakes.

Photograph by Robert Pickett, Papilio/Corbis

The Monkey and the Snake: How the Primate Brain Reacts to Serpents

A new study probes a hardwired fear of snakes.

ByLiz Langley
October 30, 2013

Snakes on a Plane, snakes in a can, a rubber snake under someone's chair—just thinking we see a snake is enough to make some of us leap away like a suddenly expert dancer. And it might be those slithery serpents that helped us evolve to see as well as we do.

(Why are we afraid of snakes?)

Last Chance - Save up to $20!

PLUS, for a limited time, get bonus gifts and issues with all Nat Geo subscriptions.