This isn't an Aprils fools joke, which at first I thought it was when I saw their article. The genetic theory is so engrained.
https://blog.23andme.com/health-traits/itching-to-see-23andmes-new-trait-reports/
"It turns out that certain fears, including acrophobia, which is the fear of heights, have a genetic component. 23andMe reports on whether your genetics makes you more or less likely than the average person to be afraid of heights. While a phobia can be learned, there are also fears that are influenced by genetics. Fear of heights is relatively common, affecting as many as one in three people, according to one study. This is consistent with what scientists at 23andMe found among customers who consented to participate in research, with about 37 percent saying they were afraid of heights. The feelings one has may be based on the visual stimulus one experiences when standing near the edge of a significant drop-off, where the nearby objects one uses as optical input to maintain balance is absent. Scientists believe that acrophobia might be stronger in those who depend heavily on visual information for balance, which also has a genetic component."
https://blog.23andme.com/health-traits/itching-to-see-23andmes-new-trait-reports/
"It turns out that certain fears, including acrophobia, which is the fear of heights, have a genetic component. 23andMe reports on whether your genetics makes you more or less likely than the average person to be afraid of heights. While a phobia can be learned, there are also fears that are influenced by genetics. Fear of heights is relatively common, affecting as many as one in three people, according to one study. This is consistent with what scientists at 23andMe found among customers who consented to participate in research, with about 37 percent saying they were afraid of heights. The feelings one has may be based on the visual stimulus one experiences when standing near the edge of a significant drop-off, where the nearby objects one uses as optical input to maintain balance is absent. Scientists believe that acrophobia might be stronger in those who depend heavily on visual information for balance, which also has a genetic component."
