Fear is an ancient emotion meant for the purpose of survival. Modern humans face more psychological dangers than physical dangers, as did our ancestors, but our bodies still respond in the same manner. How can we cope with fear in our world today? It's a battle between the ancient and contemporary parts of our brain.

Doug Stilwell is a native of West Des Moines, Iowa, and is currently serving as an assistant professor of educational leadership at Drake University.

This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at http://ted.com/tedx