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Scare Science
In Scream Scientist, you read about a researcher who studies the science behind why people get scared. Here’s what happens in your body during a fight-or-flight reaction—when you choose to either tough it out (fight) or run away (flight) from frightening situations.
THREAT
Someone experiences something scary or dangerous.
BRAIN PROCESSING
An area of the brain called the amygdala determines whether something is a threat. If it is, the brain’s hypothalamus starts the body’s fight-or-flight reaction.
CHEMICAL SIGNAL
The hypothalamus activates the pituitary gland, located at the base of the brain, to release the chemical hormone ACTH (adrenocorticotropic hormone).
FEAR HORMONES
ACTH travels through the blood. It activates the adrenal glands, located on the kidneys, which release three stress hormones— adrenaline, norepinephrine, and cortisol.
PHYSICAL REACTIONS
Depending on how scary a situation is, stress hormones can cause one or more of these reactions.
ANALYZE IT: Why do you think the body reacts the way it does when a person is scared or threatened?