15 TIMES PEOPLE'S GUT FEELINGS SAVED LIVES

10. Sounds of the Forest

U/UnconditionalMay: "At the culmination of a 3-month solo journey across Latin America, I found myself in the Amazon, eager for one final jungle walk before leaving. I set out from the lodge around 8 am, heading towards a nearby stream. However, almost as soon as I began, an uneasy feeling washed over me, a stark contrast to the tranquility and joy I had previously experienced.

Upon opening my eyes, I was startled to find an unusual silence enveloping the jungle, a phenomenon I had not encountered in other rainforests. This abrupt hush was a clear signal for me to vacate the area immediately. Upon my return to the jungle lodge, I recounted my experience to the tour guide, who informed me that such silence often indicates the proximity of a large predator. Needless to say, I was grateful for my gut instinct to leave!"