The Woman Who Felt No Fear
Summary
Science Vs explores the case of SM, a woman with calcified amygdalas who appeared incapable of feeling fear. Host Wendy Zuckerman and guest Joel Werner discuss how SM remained calm during dangerous situations, including haunted houses and knife threats. However, inhaling carbon dioxide triggered intense panic, proving that fear can bypass the amygdala. This discovery challenges the long-held belief that the amygdala is the sole center for fear, suggesting multiple neural pathways for this emotion.
Topics discussed
Intro: Host's childhood ocean panic story
Sponsors: Cheerios and Adobe Firefly
Introducing SM: The woman with calcified amygdalas
The amygdala's role in fear and SM's unique case
Experiments: Facial expressions and loud noises
SM's lack of fear: Snakes and spiders
SM at a haunted house: No reaction to scares
Real-world dangers: SM's encounters with violence
Sponsors: ZepBound, Acorn TV, and SoFi
The CO2 experiment: SM panics without an amygdala
Conclusion: Fear is more complex than one brain region
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