 How do you make smart decisions on health risks? A couple of months ago, RiskBytes described risk as the probability of a specific, bad thing happening. To avoid a risk, we need to know how likely something is, and we need to know just how bad it is. And how do you feel about that? I'm sorry? How do you feel about that? The bad thing? Well, I suppose I just don't want it to happen. Of course. We never want bad things to happen to us, but I meant how do you feel about the risk? The risk? That's just a number, surely. We don't just think about risk numbers. We feel them too. There is a feeling of being at risk. Come again? Have you ever had someone cough on you, and worried that you would get sick? Or have you ever been running so late that you feared you might miss your bus or plane? Those feelings are the feeling of risk too. We have feelings any time there is uncertainty about what will happen to us. Okay, so I get the feelings bad, but surely it's the number that's important. Definitely. Numbers are important. And sometimes risk numbers and risk feelings agree, but sometimes they don't. Sometimes your brain may say, this risk number is really small, at exact same time that you feel really scared. So which should we listen to, our brain or our feelings? It depends. Sometimes we should listen to our brains, and sometimes we should listen to our feelings. But both are important. I'll be back to talk more about risk and feelings on risk bites over the next few months. But until then, stay safe, and feel safe too.