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Personal Shark Repellant

Posted by michael on from the hope-the-batteries-don't-run-out dept.

Ahab writes "Now if only Robert Shaw had had one of these... Reuters is running this thinly-veiled press release about a personal anti-shark unit. The unit creates an electric field around the swimmer that only affects sharks. The smallest unit repels sharks at a distance of about 6 to 9 feet, and will retail for $240."

9 of 27 comments (clear)

  1. Spasms by billcopc · · Score: 3, Funny
    An initial mild discomfort increases as the shark approaches the field until it causes intolerable muscle spasms.


    I just hope those spasms aren't focused around the jaw area :) Uncontrollable chewing isn't my idea of protection.
    --
    -Billco, Fnarg.com
  2. Shark Suit, eh? by gnovos · · Score: 2, Flamebait

    Are these approved for use in courtrooms?

    --
    "Your superior intellect is no match for our puny weapons!"
  3. Originally Patented in South Aftrica in 1995 by EvilBastard · · Score: 2, Informative
    This page from an abalone website has the NYT original article

    I know they have been used a bit in Western Australia by professional abalone divers, and also in the Sydney Olympics in the harbor divers. Looks like they just made a nice small one for the consumer market

    (Of course, it helps if we stop dressing up like their favorite food and doing seal impressions around them, but hey, it's never our fault, is it)

  4. $240.00??? try $2.40 by fist_187 · · Score: 2, Interesting

    yes, $2.40. or less

    i wish i remember which magazine had the article, but in south america, natives hung bunches of hot peppers over the sides of their boats to keep sharks away.

    that's not superstition; the same sense of "smell" that lets sharks detect blood from miles is extremely sensitive to the hot sensation from peppers- and they hate it.

    i guess if you have to jump in shark infested waters, grab the salsa if you have nothing else...

    --
    Somewhere on this page I have hidden my signature.
  5. Electric field? by tunah · · Score: 2
    The unit creates an electric field around the swimmer that only affects sharks.

    Gee, I didn't know electromagnetism knew about sharks! Seriously, what do they mean?

    --
    Free Java games for your phone: Tontie, Sokoban
    1. Re:Electric field? by eXtro · · Score: 2, Interesting
      Muscles emit weak electromagnetic fields. Sharks have evolved to have receptors which detect these weak electromagnetic fields. If you can swamp these fields than the shark can't detect prey, sort of the way DEET works against mosquitos I suppose. The DEET interferes with the mosquitos ability to sense CO2 (if I remember right) so they can hover around a potential feast but don't land.


      It's not that the electromagnetic field only affects sharks, its more than sharks are among the few creatures that rely on electromagnetic fields as a means of locating prey.

      --

      Chris Kuivenhoven is a thief, beware

  6. Quick! by Chelloveck · · Score: 2

    Quick, Robin! The Bat-Shark-Repellent!

    --
    Chelloveck
    I give up on debugging. From now on, SIGSEGV is a feature.
    1. Re:Quick! by DeadVulcan · · Score: 2

      Quick, Robin! The Bat-Shark-Repellent!

      Quick, Tuna! The Shark-Bat-Repellent!

      (Batman and Sharkman flee each other with great speed, leaving Robin and Tuna to battle for good and evil.)

      Uh, forgive my sudden bout of uncontrollable silliness.

      --
      Accountability on the heads of the powerful.
      Power in the hands of the accountable.
    2. Re:Quick! by Chacham · · Score: 2
      Yes, and it was funny too see the three repellants int he bat-coptor.

      And the shark was pulling your leg..... Riddler!

      What a superbly rediculous movie.

      --
      Have you read my journal today?