For reference:
https://gizmodo.com/are-humans-hardwired-to-detect-snakes-1453865235

I had a moment last week where I stopped before I consciously recognized a snake. The poor thing was dead, but it reminded me that I'd read about this happening before. However, since I know about it, I could be reading into my response. When I've asked other people, a couple have been like "oh, I think I had that happen once." But that's all anecdotes I've biased by telling them the theory.

Nevertheless, I enjoy the anecdotes, and I'm also curious if other people think it's real.

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[–] 4 points 6 hours ago

Your mind works on different levels at the same time. Responses to danger (and sexual attraction) happen much more quickly than can be explained by cognition. There is a part of your brain, that doesn't have access to language or consciousness that can identify scary snakes (and pretty girls) faster than your conscious mind could identify them.

Brain-scans have found that the conscious fear response isn't a reaction to the stimulus, but rather it's reacting to your sympathetic nervous system freaking out. The part of your mind that sounded the alarm is invisible to you.

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