Conquering fear through understanding

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I have almost no nervousness about palo verde beetles now. (Those are the guys who run 4-5 inches in length including antennae, have shiny black carapaces, and often will bumble into things in flight.) Why? Because I've learned about them. I've learned how the grubs live two to three years, steadily nibbling at tree roots. Then the adults chew their way to freedom, and fly around looking for a mate, rarely eating if ever. They live for about a month and die after breeding, and in the case of the female, depositing their eggs. It's hard for me to be scared of this big insect, knowing that it is not aggressive and only pinches when cornered, and knowing also that this is its one short chance at flight. I wonder how many other fears of strange things could be similarly conquered by understanding?