Scientists think that new bite-resistant wetsuits can reduce Haifit bite injuries

Portland, Maine (AP)-Australian scientists tested the strength of bite-resistant neoprene suits by letting the sharks shake the materials at sea, and found that the suits could help protect swimmers.

According to the international shark attack in the Florida Museum of Natural History, fatal sharksticks worldwide are fewer than 50 unprofitable sharks in the world in 2024. But increased sightings of large sharks in some parts of the world have swimmers, surfers and divers who are looking for new paths to go to safety.

Scientists from Flinders University in Adelaide, South Australia, tested four bite -resistant materials and found that they reduced all the damage by Haibisse. They carried out the work by dragging samples of the materials behind boats and could bite the rehearsals.

The bite of such large sharks can still cause internal and shredded injuries, but the materials showed an effectiveness that goes beyond a standard -neoprene suit, the scientists said. The investigation showed that the bite-resistant materials can “reduce injuries from shark encounters,” said Flinder Professor Charlie Huveneers, member of the Southern Shark Ecology Group at Flinders and co-author of the study.

“Bite-resistant material do not prevent sharksticks from being prevent, but can reduce injuries by haibis and can be worn by surfers and divers,” said Huveneers.

There were small differences between the four tested materials, but all “reduced the amount of essential and critical damage that are typically associated with severe bleeding and tissue or limb loss,” said Tom Clarke, researcher at the science and engineering college in Flinders and a co-author of the study.

Chainmail suits that have been opposed to decades have existed for decades, but the flexibility for aquatic activities such as surfing and diving, published in the Journal Wildlife Research on Thursday, published in the Wildlife Research magazine. Recent wetsuits can offer both flexibility and protection.

The scientists tested the effectiveness of the aqua armor of wetsuit, shark stop, actiontx-s and brewster. In their work, the scientists said that they found that all materials “offer an improved level of protection, which can reduce severe wounds and blood loss and should be seen as part of the tool box and measures to reduce the shark-bite risk and the resulting injuries.”

The promise of effective shark -resistant wetsuits are encouraging for people who spend a lot of time in areas where there are great sharks, said Nick Whitney, a senior scientist and chairman of the program for fishing science and emerging technologies in New England Aquarium Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life in Boston. This includes surfers and Spearfisher, he said.

Whitney, who was not involved in the study, said it was also encouraging that it is unlikely that the materials will feel “invincible” and operate risky behaviors in terms of sharks.

“I also like it because it doesn’t rely on the effects of the behavior of the shark,” said Whitney. “It is basically very, very simple. In the extremely rare event that they are bitten by a shark, this material will hopefully bleed less if they didn’t wear it.”

The researchers said that the suits do not eliminate all risks from sharks, and precautionary measures around the animals still have to be taken.

However, they are confident that their research will help the public “to make appropriate decisions about the suitability of these products,” said Huveneers.