Memories...

Phobias may be memories passed down in genes

Personally? I buy it, and a NOVA feature also suggested nightmares could be genetic as well. According to the study, when children have bad dreams, they usually involve animals; as they grow up, they end up being more along the lines of "modern' problems. I know I used to have dreams about dogs chasing me, even though I never had any remote fear of dogs. (Although the NOVA feature didn't suggest they were memories so much as primal "warnings", a way to sort of help prepare us for what could happen.)

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