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Repel Sharks With Magnets?

madurobob

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madurobob
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I heard about these devices recently when they were mentioned in this article about a shark attack victim
"I got this for Christmas,” Zack said, showing us the green plastic band that looks like a watch with no face, “It is a shark band and it was supposed to keep sharks away and the first time I wore it, and I go surfing a lot, but the first time I wore it- I get bit."
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This appears to be the device: http://www.sharkbanz.com/technology/

They claim:
Sharkbanz use special patented magnetic technology to deter sharks from attacking people. Most shark attacks occur in murky, shallow waters off the coast where there are a high number of swimmers and sharks sharing the same space. In this environment, sharks rely heavily on their electro-receptors instead of their eyes to “see” what’s around them. They possess the most sensitive electro-magnetic sense of all known animals, and use it to judge distance, shape, and even the heart rate of other animals near them. Most of the time, sharks get it right and leave people alone. Occasionally, they don't. Sometimes when relying on their electro-receptors, a curious shark may bite a person in order to figure out what he or she is. These unprovoked “hit and run” attacks are the most common type, and Sharkbanz are an excellent defense against them. As the shark approaches a person wearing Sharkbanz, magnetic waves coming from the band disrupt its electro-receptors and it quickly turns away. The experience for the shark is, “like a person suddenly shining a very bright light in your eyes in a dark room, and it's not pleasant”, according to Dr. Stroud.
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(Magnets - is there anything they can't do?)

I looked over their "research" page. Seems to be a some wishful thinking involved. That is, from reading a handful of abstracts I get the impression that there is a good chance some sharks can perceive magnetic fields, but, only at fairly short distances (inches). And, its not clear that this perception leads to avoidance; especially if they're already in feeding mode.

Anyone have any insight into sharks and magnets?
 
marplots said:
It's a great idea but there's one serious problem. If you get the polarity switched around, you attract sharks instead.
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Thats an entirely different product line - SharkMag! Attract loads of sharks so you can outfit them with freakin laser beams!
 
madurobob said:
I heard about these devices recently when they were mentioned in this article about a shark attack victim


This appears to be the device: http://www.sharkbanz.com/technology/

They claim:


(Magnets - is there anything they can't do?)

I looked over their "research" page. Seems to be a some wishful thinking involved. That is, from reading a handful of abstracts I get the impression that there is a good chance some sharks can perceive magnetic fields, but, only at fairly short distances (inches). And, its not clear that this perception leads to avoidance; especially if they're already in feeding mode.

Anyone have any insight into sharks and magnets?
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Until we come up with a method of teaching sharks that magnets don't taste good, I'll pass.
 
BStrong said:
Until we come up with a method of teaching sharks that magnets don't taste good, I'll pass.
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Thats the other problem, yes. Even if sharks are currently repelled by strong permanent magnets, this may be a great way to teach them that the really tasty morsels are accompanied by unusually strong magnetic fields.
 
This works! I've had a magnet on my desk for years, and no sharks have ever come near it.

Edited to add: I wonder if there's a natural understanding of this phenomenon buried somewhere deep in the human brain, which is why humans have a desire to cover their refrigerators in magnets, to protect the cache of food inside from sharks. Maybe centuries ago, our ancestors who successfully protected their food from sharks lived longer, and passed those genes on to us, and we don't even realize why we do it.
 
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Pup said:
This works! I've had a magnet on my desk for years, and no sharks have ever come near it.

Edited to add: I wonder if there's a natural understanding of this phenomenon buried somewhere deep in the human brain, which is why humans have a desire to cover their refrigerators in magnets, to protect the cache of food inside from sharks. Maybe centuries ago, our ancestors who successfully protected their food from sharks lived longer, and passed those genes on to us, and we don't even realize why we do it.
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And sharks instinctively know that they mustn't consume small magnets, as they will pinch their guts and cause horrid internal pain.
 
It is recommended to wear a cup while swordfighting. I do not, because the first time I did, many years ago, someone hit me in the nuts.

I think that's pretty much the same logic that's being displayed in the OP.
 
How strong is the magnet? Like put two of them close together and how long before they react? I predict it would be only a few centimeters. So until the shark is very close to the wrist it would be unable to detect the magnet.
 
MythBusters tested it, while they got some small sharks to react, there was no repellant effect to bait boxes with and without very strong magnets surrounding the boxes.
 
The experience for the shark is, “like a person suddenly shining a very bright light in your eyes in a dark room, and it's not pleasant”, according to Dr. Stroud.
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OR
It acts in the same fashion as a bright neon restaurant sign that in effect says "look, look, over here, look at me", the equivalent of a large KFC bucket sign.
 
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arthwollipot said:
It is recommended to wear a cup while swordfighting. I do not, because the first time I did, many years ago, someone hit me in the nuts.

I think that's pretty much the same logic that's being displayed in the OP.
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Thats certainly the logic used by the kid who was bitten. But, its not mine. I'm simply skeptical that sharks can be sensitive enough to magnetic fields to be repelled by a raisin-sized magnet in any manner effective at preventing shark attacks on humans. I don't doubt some species of shark are sensitive to magnetic fields, but I very much doubt the distance needed for them to perceive and react to magnetic fields is enough to change their behavior, since they'd already be on the offensive and in the process of biting.
 
madurobob said:
That is, from reading a handful of abstracts I get the impression that there is a good chance some sharks can perceive magnetic fields, but, only at fairly short distances (inches). And, its not clear that this perception leads to avoidance; especially if they're already in feeding mode.
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I remember seeing a documentary many years ago in which a shark approached a piece of meat hanging off a boat, and then bit the bars on a shark cage right next to it instead. Examining the film afterward showed that the shark was closing its eyes just before it bit, to protect them. The scientists theorized that it was relying on its electrosense for the final attack and became confused by fields generated by the nearby metal. That suggests close-in use. It was several decades ago though, so more recent research may contradict that.
 
Armitage72 said:
I remember seeing a documentary many years ago in which a shark approached a piece of meat hanging off a boat, and then bit the bars on a shark cage right next to it instead. Examining the film afterward showed that the shark was closing its eyes just before it bit, to protect them. The scientists theorized that it was relying on its electrosense for the final attack and became confused by fields generated by the nearby metal. That suggests close-in use. It was several decades ago though, so more recent research may contradict that.
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Hmmm... if true, that might suggest that a good shark attack preventative would be to always swim with a buddy who has a magnet attached to them. ;)
 
madurobob said:
Thats the other problem, yes. Even if sharks are currently repelled by strong permanent magnets, this may be a great way to teach them that the really tasty morsels are accompanied by unusually strong magnetic fields.
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When you say 'really tasty morsels' do you mean people? Because, the the best of my knowledge, sharks don't really find people all that tasty at all. that's why they bite and then run away. If they liked the taste of people there'd be many fewer survivors of shark attacks, I think.
 
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