Extreme Fear: The Science of Your Mind in Danger

Fear is a mysterious force. It sabotages our ability to think clearly and can drive us to blind panic, yet it can also give us superhuman speed, strength, and powers of perception. Having baffled mankind for ages, fear is now yielding its secrets to scientific inquiry. The simple model of "fight or flight"—that people respond to danger either by fleeing in terror or staying to fight through it—has been replaced by a more complex understanding of the fear response.

Veteran science journa…