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Fear of Spiders Can Develop Before Birth
Yahoo News ^ | 2-18-10 | Live Science Staff

Posted on 02/18/2010 7:27:41 AM PST by cajuncow

Scientists figure humans may be born with a fear of spiders and snakes, healthy phobias that up the odds of survival in the wild. It's not known how such an inborn fear might develop, however.

Now researchers have proven that unborn crickets can gain a fear of spiders based on their mother's harrowing experiences.

Scientists put pregnant crickets into terrariums containing a wolf spider. The spiders' fangs were covered with wax so the spiders could stalk but not kill the pregnant crickets. After the crickets laid their eggs, the researchers compared the behavior of the offspring with offspring whose mothers hadn't been exposed to spiders.

(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...


TOPICS: Science
KEYWORDS: arachnids; arachnophobia; spiders
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To: cajuncow
Scientists figure humans may be born with a fear of spiders and snakes..

and puppy dog tails?

Yes, just like THERE IS global warming due to humans..some scientists warn seas will rise, polar bears will drown, the Himalayas are melting..

There is no MAYBE as there is no ABSOLUTE.

But my blobfish is REAL!!! One of 8 newly found species living in the cave. Unless surgery gone really bad for Osama.

SAVE THE BLOBFISH THREAD!

;)

21 posted on 02/18/2010 7:45:51 AM PST by fight_truth_decay
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To: HerrBlucher

It actually happened twice...from that picture and another time when I was hooking up a new propane tank to our grill. We just pulled the grill out of the shed in the spring and when I was attaching the hose, I realized I was face to face with a wolf spider on the leg of the grill...big ol’ sucker. I yacked on the porch right there.

My husband thought it was just a little thing and grabbed a paper towel. He came out to squish it and he even backed up with a “Woah...I thought you were exaggerating again...”


22 posted on 02/18/2010 7:47:25 AM PST by JenB987 (under God's Spirit she flourishes)
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To: cripplecreek

“I accuse lesbians of being greedy like that. “

And bisexuals...


23 posted on 02/18/2010 7:48:22 AM PST by JenB987 (under God's Spirit she flourishes)
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To: fight_truth_decay

I don’t want to have anything to do with a Barney Frank look alike.


24 posted on 02/18/2010 7:49:09 AM PST by cajuncow
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To: cajuncow

Spiders. I out grew being creeped out by them thankfully.

I can’t tell you how giant golden orb weaver webs I’ve had wrapped around my head while in the woods, or hand-sized huntsman spiders running circles on my bedroom walls as a kid.

One time I was in the woods and out of nowhere a baseball catcher’s breastplate padding appeared right in front of me. Then I realized I had a perspective problem, it was actually the belly of an orb weaver about a half of a centimeter in front of my eye. I dropped flat on my back and my buddies got a good chuckle.


25 posted on 02/18/2010 7:49:19 AM PST by Sax
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To: cajuncow

Bump for weird science.


26 posted on 02/18/2010 7:50:22 AM PST by techcor (I hope Obama succeeds... in becoming a one term president.)
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To: cajuncow
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder
27 posted on 02/18/2010 7:54:35 AM PST by fight_truth_decay
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To: JenB987

Last summer I smacked a fat spider that trotted out from under the gas grill - that’s when the fun began.

What seemed to be a thousand little versions came sprinting out for “The Great Land Grab” dash across the pool deck - all of them looking to stake claim to their very own nook or cranny. I was doing a speed round version of whack-a-mole with my hands trying to put a stop to it.

Again - wife thought that was awfully amusing with the palms of my hands looking like raisin bread.


28 posted on 02/18/2010 7:57:35 AM PST by Sax
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To: HerrBlucher

I used to have an over abundance of black widows. Now I have an over abundance of Mediterranean geckos and haven’t seen a black widow around the house in years. I also have a respect for mud dabbler wasps out in the shed since their nests tend to be full of spiders.


29 posted on 02/18/2010 8:01:15 AM PST by cajuncow
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To: JenB987

I guess “barf alert” isn’t just a figure of speech in your world.


30 posted on 02/18/2010 8:01:33 AM PST by HerrBlucher (Jail Al Gore and the Climate Frauds!)
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To: Daffynition

KILL IT!!!


31 posted on 02/18/2010 8:02:14 AM PST by Dallas59 (President Robert Gibbs 2009-2013)
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To: cajuncow

I remember when Mary Lou said
“You wanna walk me home from school”
And I said, “Yes, I do”
She said, “I don’t have to go right home
And I’m the kind that likes to be alone
As long as you would”
I said, “Me, too”

And so we took a stroll
Wound up down by the swimmin’ hole
And she said, “Do what you want to do”
I got silly and I found a frog
In the water by a hollow log
And I shook it at her
And I said “This frog’s for you”

She said, “I don’t like spiders and snakes
And that ain’t what it takes to love me
You fool, you fool
I don’t like spiders and snakes
And that ain’t what it takes to love me
Like I want to be loved by you”

Well, I think of that girl from time to time
I call her up when I got a dime
I say, “Hello, baby”
She says, “Ain’t you cool”
I say, “Do you remember when
“And would you like to get together again”
She says, “I’ll see you after school”

I was shy and so for a while
Most of my love was touch and smile
Til she said, “Come on over here”
I was nervous as you might guess
Still looking for somethin’ to slip down her dress
And she said, “Let’s make it perfectly clear”

She said, “I don’t like spiders and snakes
And that ain’t what it takes to love me
You fool, you fool
I don’t like spiders and snakes
And that ain’t what it takes to love me
Like I want to be loved by you”


32 posted on 02/18/2010 8:02:59 AM PST by Uncle Miltie (Liberal Massachussetts says: "FUBO!")
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To: tfbcowinafog

If you weren’t working right now, I would know exactly what to expect from you as a post, dear sister.


33 posted on 02/18/2010 8:06:29 AM PST by cajuncow
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To: Dallas59
From your keyboard to the Grim Reaper's ears.


34 posted on 02/18/2010 8:25:18 AM PST by Daffynition (What's all this about hellfire and Dalmatians?)
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To: JenB987
I still haven't been able to look at that picture. I would have nightmares for months.

To me, if for no other reason (but which there are many), the guys who volunteer for service to fight in the 'sandbox' are heroes just for having to put up with freakishly huge spiders and scorpions. No wonder Iraqis are so pissed off.

35 posted on 02/18/2010 8:44:12 AM PST by CharlieOK1 (Keep your eyes on the sky... put a dollar in the kitty)
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To: cajuncow
“Scientists figure humans may be born with a fear of spiders and snakes, healthy phobias that up the odds of survival in the wild”

I did see an old Wild Kingdom show where a guy goes mano-a snakeo and near drowns but neither seemed really phobia ridden. That Perkins fellow must’ve had a bit longer in his contract and being drowned wasn't part of it I assume.

36 posted on 02/18/2010 9:11:05 AM PST by count-your-change (You don't have be brilliant, not being stupid is enough.)
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To: Daffynition

Oh, f***! Was that necessary to post those pictures?


37 posted on 02/18/2010 9:21:55 AM PST by cajuncow
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To: dighton

I was BORN wid it! And it’s HEALTHY!!


38 posted on 02/18/2010 9:25:09 AM PST by MozarkDawg
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To: cajuncow
It was a toss-up. Could have gone with a Hellen T. image. ;)


39 posted on 02/18/2010 9:32:13 AM PST by Daffynition (What's all this about hellfire and Dalmatians?)
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To: Daffynition

Oh sh*t! It moves! My heart!


40 posted on 02/18/2010 9:38:02 AM PST by cajuncow
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