Naked Science Forum

Life Sciences => The Environment => Topic started by: thedoc on 02/09/2013 13:14:31

Title: Can a camouflage wetsuit reduce shark attacks?
Post by: thedoc on 02/09/2013 13:14:31
Research on Shark vision has inspired the design of a wet suit that will camouflage surfers to sharks...
Read a transcript of the interview by clicking here (http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/1000382/)

or [chapter podcast=1000468 track=13.08.29/Naked_Scientists_Show_13.08.29_1001247.mp3](https://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thenakedscientists.com%2FHTML%2Ftypo3conf%2Fext%2Fnaksci_podcast%2Fgnome-settings-sound.gif&hash=f2b0d108dc173aeaa367f8db2e2171bd) Listen to it now[/chapter] or [download as MP3] (http://nakeddiscovery.com/downloads/split_individual/13.08.29/Naked_Scientists_Show_13.08.29_1001247.mp3)
Title: Re: Can a camouflage wetsuit reduce shark attacks?
Post by: CliffordK on 02/09/2013 18:36:22
Interesting.  I assume the idea is to also camouflage the surfboards...  unless one wishes to encourage the sharks to eat the board and leave the person. 

There have been experiments with "the smell of death".  Apparently sharks are strongly repulsed by the smell of dead shark.  I think there are several researches working on dead shark smell.  Popular swimming areas could be given a large dose of it, or perhaps one could just dab a little on one's wetsuit.

Title: Re: Can a camouflage wetsuit reduce shark attacks?
Post by: alancalverd on 02/09/2013 19:22:51
Isn't surfing supposed to be a risk sport? So why try to minimise the risk? If there was no propect of getting mauled by a shark, it would just be standing on a board and trying not to be beaten senseless by a collapsing wave. Where's the fun in that? 
Title: Re: Can a camouflage wetsuit reduce shark attacks?
Post by: AndroidNeox on 09/10/2013 22:35:43
Popular swimming areas could be given a large dose of it, or perhaps one could just dab a little on one's wetsuit.

It might be that not all creatures are repulsed by dead sharks. It might make Killer Whales feel peckish.