Science Pub: Fear: Your Brain Is Trying to Save You

Science Pub: Fear: Your Brain Is Trying to Save You with Radhika Reddy, PhD, Teaching Associate Professor, Department of Biology at Portland State University

October 20, 2026 – Kennedy School

Why does your heart race before you have even figured out what frightened you? And why can a fear return long after you thought you had overcome it? Fear is not a flaw in the brain it is an ancient survival system designed to protect us. Evolution favored false alarms over fatal mistakes, so the brain can launch a fear response before its more deliberate regions have had time to decide whether a threat is real. This system can keep us alive, but it can also leave us reacting to dangers that no longer exist.

In this talk, neurobiologist and educator Radhika Reddy will guide us through the brain circuitry of fear. She will explain how the amygdala learns to associate ordinary sights and sounds with danger, why learned fears can be so persistent, and how the prefrontal cortex helps us regain control. She will also explore why overcoming fear involves creating a new memory of safety rather than erasing the original fear, and what this may reveal about post-traumatic stress disorder and emerging approaches to weakening traumatic memories.

Tickets: $8 suggested donation | Advance tickets recommended

Zoom Option
If you are unable to join us in person, you can watch on Zoom. You must register in advance. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.