Science Snippet

Afraid of snakes? You are not alone, for most terrestrial mammals have an aversion to them. Some believe that for a million years, snakes have influenced the evolution of primates, including man. Why? Because so many snakes are poisonous and a bite can prove fatal. Recent research provides evidence that primates have a special ability to quickly spot a snake. Scientists implanted tiny electrodes in the brains of monkeys to monitor activity in a region believed to help the animal focus on external threats. The monkeys were then shown images of snakes, faces and hands of other monkeys, and geometric shapes. At the sight of the images, 40 percent of the neurons monitored were quick to “snap into action” and begin transmitting impulses to other parts of the brain. This suggests that primates have special regions in the brain for spotting snakes. (Science, Nov. 1, 2013; and the Proceedings of the National Acad. of Sciences, December issue)

Paul Burton is Professor Emeritus in cell biology from the U. of Kansas and a distinguished alumnus from Western Carolina U. A writer/photographer, he has lived in Ephraim for 20 years.