The discomfort some people feel when looking at clusters of holes or bumps – known as trypophobia – has intrigued scientists for over a decade. New research reveals how this mysterious condition relates to our innate disease-avoidance responses. Dr Christopher DiMattina from Florida Gulf Coast University, together with his departmental colleague Dr R Nathan Pipitone, is leading research to understand why these innocuous patterns can trigger strong aversive responses, revealing important insights about how our brains process visual information and respond to potential threats.