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6 hours ago
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Going for a dip in the ocean is about to get a lot safer.
Scientists have developed a shark–proof wetsuit – and it's even resistant to bites from Great Whites.
The wetsuit incorporates strong and light fibres often used in sailing rope, as well as ultra–high molecular weight polyethylene.
This means it offers both flexibility and protection, making it more suitable for recreational use than traditional chainmail suits.
Incredible footage shows the wetsuit material being tested against an enormous Great White, albeit not on a person.
Amazingly, the material survives the encounter unscathed – suggesting it could provide a lifeline for surfers braving shark–infested waters.
Professor Charlie Huveneers, who leads the Southern Shark Ecology Group, said: 'While these suits don't eliminate all the risk (e.g. internal injuries may still occur), our results indicate that they can reduce blood loss and trauma from major lacerations and punctures, potentially saving lives.
'Our findings will allow for informed decisions to be made about the use of bite–resistant wetsuit materials for occupational activities, as well as enabling the public to make appropriate decisions about the suitability of using these products.'
Going for a dip in the ocean is about to get a lot safer. Scientists have developed a shark–proof wetsuit – and it's even resistant to bites from Great Whites
Surfers currently have a range of wetsuit options available to them.
These range from standard neoprene wetsuits, to heavy chainmail suits.
However, until now, there hasn't been an option available that is both flexible and protective against predators.
In their new study, the researchers tested the efficacy of four new 'bite–resistant' materials – Aqua Armour, Shark Stop, ActionTX–S and Brewster.
Each material was assessed for its potential to reduce injuries from white and tiger sharks, in comparison to standard neoprene.
The results revealed that all four materials were effective at preventing bites.
'While there were small differences between the four tested materials, they all reduced the amount of substantial and critical damage, which would typically be associated with severe haemorrhaging and tissue or limb loss,' said Dr Tom Clarke, from the College of Science and Engineering at Flinders University.
Data released last year revealed an 'unnerving' rise in fatal shark attacks in 2023 worldwide.
Researchers at the University of Florida found deaths due to apex predators doubled, with 10 reported fatalities – up five from the previous year.
The wetsuit incorporates strong and light fibres often used in sailing rope, as well as ultra–high molecular weight polyethylene. This means it offers both flexibility and protection, making it more suitable for recreational use than traditional chainmail suits
The team determined that great whites, tiger and bull sharks killed the majority of swimmers – although they emphasised that the increased deaths were due to more people being in the ocean each year and a stronger emphasis placed on reporting bites and fatalities.
The researchers of the new study hope the findings will encourage a shift in shark–bite mitigation away from lethal methods towards non–lethal alternatives.
'Our study showed that bite–resistant materials incorporated into wetsuits can reduce damage from large white and tiger sharks (up to 3 metres) compared to standard neoprene wetsuit, even from moderate and severe bites,' Dr Clarke added.
HOW SHARKS EARNED THEIR RUTHLESS REPUTATION
Sharks are the most efficient predators on earth and have long terrified humans.
Their basic design has never really changed over the course of 200million years and they are considered to be complex and intelligent.
Their teeth are fear factor number one, with the great white's teeth growing up to two-and-a-half inches in length.
Their prey are impaled on the pointed teeth of the lower jaw where they saw away sections of the flesh. The serrated edges of the teeth help with this process.
Their teeth are brittle and are constantly breaking off but are also constantly regrowing and on average there are 15 rows of teeth present in the mouth at one time.
Sharks are the most efficient predators on earth. Their basic design has never really changed over the course of 200million years
Their speed is fear factor number two.
They are very fast in the water compared to humans with the mako shark able to reach an incredible 60mph in bursts.
The great white can reach speeds of 25mph.
By comparison, 5mph is the fastest a human being can reach.
A shark's power and size terrifies us, too.
The great white shark can grow up to 20 feet and while it has no particular taste for humans even an exploratory bite is enough to cut a man in half.
Most sharks release a human after its first bite but sometimes, that's all it take to kill a person.
However, sharks have far more reason to be afraid of humans. We kill up to a million of them a year, often just cutting off their fins to make into soup and throwing the rest of the shark back into the water, where it starves or drowns.
