Australian Researchers Develop Shark Deterrent Technology

Researchers at Macquarie University have developed an innovative method using LED lights to reduce great white shark attacks on surfers. The study, which spanned six years in South Africa, found that illuminating the underside of surfboards or using seal-shaped decoys disrupted the silhouettes that sharks rely on to identify prey. The researchers discovered that great whites, likely colorblind and having poor vision, are better at detecting silhouettes than details, leading them to mistakenly target surfers. By employing various configurations of LED lights, particularly in striped patterns, they effectively made the decoys appear less like typical prey. The next step involves implementing this technology in real surfboards and testing its effectiveness on other shark species. Surfer Brett Connellan, a shark attack survivor, expressed support for this technology but noted that gaining acceptance among surfers may be challenging.