The startle response is a sudden, reflex-like response to an unexpected stimulus, such as a loud noise or bright light. It is an unlearned and largely unconscious defense mechanism shared by animals ...

The acoustic startle response is an unconditional reflex involving rapid facial and skeletal muscle movements triggered by sudden, startling stimuli like sound or light. Studying the acoustic startle ...

If your newborn is startled, they might cry out and curl up. This reflex is normal for the first few months of life and is something your baby’s doctor may check for after delivery. If your new baby ...

This story is from The Pulse, a weekly health and science podcast. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Sometimes, I wish I had a sign on my chair, as if I were a ...

You may have noticed your baby being startled or reacting suddenly when you're trying to put them down to sleep. This is the Moro reflex, one of several normal reflexes that healthy babies are born ...

To understand the expressive range of the human face, nothing beats watching a colleague scream his head off in slow motion. When my lab began to study protective reflexes in the early 2000s, the ...

A study of startle displays hints at why provoked creatures have such a wide range of reactions. By Cara Giaimo From a distance, the dead leaf praying mantis resembles its namesake: brown, crispy and ...

We all jump at an unexpected noise or touch, but in some people, this startle response is exaggerated, and can cause falls and even death. Now, researchers in the United Kingdom have found new genes ...

The jump scare doesn’t seem like it should work. Horror movie watchers know that someone is going to jump out — that’s why they watch horror movies. But still, neural circuitry is undeniable and the ...