Scientists at the University of Western Australia teamed up with designers Shark Attack Mitigation Systems (SAMS) to create two wet suits that could save swimmers’ lives!
The first suit is based on the discovery that sharks are colourblind. Called the “Elude”, the suit camouflages swimmers from sharks when they are in the water. The second suit, called the “Diverter,” is designed with black and white stripes that mimic nature’s warning signs. It is designed to drive sharks away.
The suits went up for sale on Wednesday for $495 apiece.
More than two years ago, there were five fatal shark attacks within 12 months in Western Australia! Seeing the clear danger in their waters, scientists immediately went into developing these suits for swimmers.
“We now know what these big predatory sharks can see and what we have done is convert that science into a marketable technology,” says Hamish Jolly, one of the designers who worked on the suit.
What do you think of these suits? Do you think they really work? Let us know!