There are a lot of crazy ideas out there for shark repellents and safety gear. Most of them are met with extreme skepticism, but all are given the “hmmm, I wonder” consideration for at least a moment or two.
This video, however, makes the simplest shark repellent theory/technology/experiment look pretty intriguing. You’ve definitely heard the theories on shark’s sensitivity to electric and magnetic fields, but have you actually seen the experiment in action? It’s an old study (the video was produced in 2012) but still one worth paying attention to. At the time, Eric Stroud was studying the effects magnets had on sharks. He compared the reaction in this video to somebody shining a really bright flashlight in your face. For even a moment it can be incredibly unpleasant, and even startle you. Since sharks have a lot of magnetic sensory organs in their snouts, Stroud’s belief was that his magnets were overstimulating the sharks’ senses and scaring them away. You can see it in the video. Whatever these magnets are doing, the tiny Lemon Shark isn’t stoked.
So, how many magnets are you packing into your board shorts tomorrow morning?