This Dec. 30, 2019 photo provided by the Washington State Department of Agriculture shows a dead Asian giant hornet in a lab in Olympia, Wash. It is the world's largest hornet, a 2-inch long killer with an appetite for honey bees. Dubbed the "Murder Hornet" by some, the insect has a sting that could be fatal to some humans. AP photo by Quinlyn Baine/Washington State Department

The ‘Murder Hornet’ Is Out to Get Bees, Not Humans. So Why Are People Still Freaking Out About It?

Have you been hearing of the “Murder Hornet” in headlines recently? Assistant Professor of Psychology Ajay Satpute weighs in on the fears of the murder hornet, a huge wasp that recently showed up in the Pacific Northeast. Satpute says fear can play a functional role in society to handle different problems. Without fears toward certain circumstances, people and animals wouldn’t be motivated to take useful and corrective behaviors.

This article was originally published on News@Northeastern on May 22, 2020. To continue reading, click here!

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