Do sponges make you feel afraid, anxious or disgusted? How about honeycombs? Or strawberries? If so, you might have trypophobia − the fear of clusters of small holes. Though rare as far as phobias go, ...

Trypophobia refers to a fear of or aversion to clusters of small holes or repetitive patterns, for instance, in sponges, soap bubbles, and strawberries. It is not currently categorized as a phobia.

Russell has a PhD in the history of medicine, violence, and colonialism. His research has explored topics including ethics, science governance, and medical involvement in violent contexts. Russell has ...

People who feel uncomfortable or even repulsed by clusters of small holes—such as those found in lotus seed pods or honeycombs—are more likely to feel disgust than fear when confronted with these ...