Yeah, no straight off the bat we have our doubts too…but hey let’s sink our teeth into this one. So a couple of shark frothers or should we say ‘researchers’ from Flinders University Australia (don’t worry we’ve also never heard of it), are currently developing a wettie that may potentially save the lives of surfers, divers, and swimmers in the extremely unlikely event of a shark ‘attack’.
The material used is similar to Kevlar with the point behind the design being to prevent wounds that bring about serious blood loss. A great white shark’s bit force is roughly 4000 PSI, on the Saffa scale that checks in at about 1,8 tons. A human bite exerts between 150 and 200 PSI. The new suit hopes to prevent tear lacerations brought about by the numerous razor-sharp teeth which can easily break bones.
“The majority of fatalities from shark bites is due to blood loss or the shock resulting from blood loss. So, if we can reduce that blood loss from minimizing injuries, and with rapid emergency responses, we can hopefully increase the survival rates of people bitten by sharks” notes Charlie Huveneers, associate professor at Flinders University.
The wettie is set to be heat-resistant featuring robust synthetic fiber, the same used for stab and bullet resistant body armors. I mean shit, if it can stop a bullet it could stop a shark, yes? No?
Well, we should get our answer soon enough.. The shark nerds will test the wetsuit off the coast of Spencer Gulf, near Adelaide, with sharks in their natural environment, raw and uncut!!
