Think about your worst childhood memory: it probably involves a clown. Luckily, the world’s greatest minds have come together to figure out why exactly we fear the makeup-ridden beasts the way that we do. 987 people were polled for a “Fear of Clowns Questionnaire” and after all of the answers were tabulated, this is what science came up with.

1. An eerie or unsettling feeling due to clowns’ makeup making them look not-quite-human. A similar response is sometimes seen with dolls or mannequins.
2. Clowns’ exaggerated facial features convey a direct sense of threat.
3. Clown makeup hides emotional signals and creates uncertainty.
4. The color of clown makeup reminds us of death, infection or blood injury, and evokes disgust or avoidance.
5. Clowns’ unpredictable behavior makes us uncomfortable.
6. Fear of clowns has been learned from family members.
7. Negative portrayals of clowns in popular culture.
8. A frightening experience with a clown.

Thank you to our friends at Science Alert for providing this incredibly insightful data.