The Recipe for a Shark-Repellent Wetsuit

How Can We Design a Shark-Repellent Wetsuit? With Nature's Help.

Sharks see in black and white. A wetsuit colored ocean blue is basically an invisibility cloak.

Sharks are friends with pilot fish. Pilot fish have stripes. A striped wetsuit makes for friendly sharks.

Result: Technology to reduce the risk of shark attacks based on the science of what sharks can see.

Learn more in this TEDx Talk from Hamish Jolly, who worked with scientists in Australia to develop research-based wetsuits

When the number of shark attacks in western Australia rose dramatically, Hamish turned to nature for inspiration to create shark-repelling wetsuits.

How?

A very stripey wetsuit that mimics the natural shark attack repellent of the pilot fish, whose distinct black and white markings signal do-not-eat to a shark.
By using research on the limits of sharks’ visual abilities to create a wetsuit whose carefully-chosen colors allow humans to blend in seamlessly with ocean water.

Watch the whole talk here»

(Pilot fish photo via Flickr user star5112)