Sorry, Jaws, Australian shark experts have created the first bite-resistant wetsuits

While shark attacks aren’t as common or frequent as the media portrays, they are still a concern for coastal communities and tourists visiting to explore the oceans through scuba diving or deep-sea swimming. This is why the Australian shark experts from Flinders University’s Southern Shark Ecology Group tested four bite-resistant materials to make up a wetsuit resistant to piercing, shredding, and bites from the most dangerous sharks in our oceans.

Dr. Tom Clarke, Professor Charlie Huveneers, and experts from the NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development tested four bite-resistant wetsuit materials (Aqua Armour, Shark Stop, ActionTX-S, and Brewster material) by placing each one on a board that was coated with a gel that replicates the density of human muscle tissue. They went on 19 boat trips to bait white and tiger sharks with fish guts and coax them to bite the boards, eventually releasing them from their jaws when they didn’t taste any fish flesh. Great white and tiger sharks are considered among the most dangerous that humans frequently encounter. After each baiting session, the researchers would examine the board to assess the severity of any puncturing or shredding damage caused by the bites.

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After thorough testing with dangerous sharks, the team’s findings were promising

“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 hemorrhaging and tissue or limb loss,” said Dr. Clarke in a press release. “Our study showed that bite-resistant materials incorporated into wetsuits can reduce damage from large white and tiger sharks (>3 m) compared to a standard neoprene wetsuit, even from moderate and severe bites.”

Even though this is great news and adds more protection against shark attacks, it doesn’t mean that these wetsuits could make the swimmer invincible. Great white sharks have a bite force that could exceed 4,000 pounds per square inch. While the suit could resist tearing of flesh and prevent excessive bleeding, a chomp from a shark could still cause bruising, internal damage, or break bones from the pressure alone.

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“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,” said Professor Huveneers, leader of the Southern Shark Ecology Group. “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.”

While the hope is that these suits can become readily available wearable protection, the best way to avoid shark attacks is to avoid sharks in the first place. The Florida Museum’s International Shark Attack File has a great list of tips to best avoid shark attacks, including:

1. Swim/scuba/etc with a buddy. Not only do sharks prefer to engage with solitary targets, but you’ll also have a person who can get help if a situation occurs.

2. Avoid being in the water when it is low light outside (dawn, dusk, night) as that’s when most shark breeds tend to feed.

3. Stay close to the shore so you don’t isolate yourself from emergency assistance if things go wrong.

4. Be cautious around sandbars or steep drop-offs, as those tend to be hotspots for sharks.

5. Don’t wear shiny jewelry while in the water, as the glint of it could mislead sharks into mistaking it for fish scales.

While it’s terrific that strides are being made to protect people from shark attacks, it’s still best not to invite or provoke them in the first place.