LEDs on the Underside of Surfboards Could Deter Sharks

Surfers usually prefer to not get bitten by sharks. Recent research by Dr. Laura Ryan of Macquarie University in Australia and her colleagues may offer a means to reduce the number of shark attacks on surfers.

The Guardian reports that Ryan towed seal-shaped objects through the water in Mossel Bay, South Africa. When the researchers attached LED strips to the undersides of these silhouettes, the number of shark attacks plummeted. This is likely because sharks have poor eyesight and may have found the shapes confusing.

This research indicates that LEDs on the undersides of surfboards may disrupt the silhouettes that draw sharks.

-via Dave Barry