Fixing LED strip lights to the bottom of surfboards could deter attacks by great white sharks, Australian scientists say. A study conducted in Mossel Bay, South Africa involved towing seal-shaped boards fitted with different configurations of lights behind a boat to see which attracted the most attention.

Every day, Cole Taschman heads out to Bathtub Beach in Stuart, Florida. The quiet reef on the Atlantic Coast got its name from the “bathtub effect” which breaks up waves, creates a shallow pool at low tide and reduces erosion. For Cole and the Taschman family, who consider the beach their backyard, it is known for something else.

As if once wasn't enough, the unlucky surfer suffered a second shark attack at the same Florida beach—and it was far worse.

Surfers could be protected from future shark attacks following new discoveries about how to trick sharks' visual systems made by Professor Nathan Hart, head of Macquarie University's Neurobiology Lab,

New research reveals how LED lights on seal decoys can deter great white sharks by disrupting their hunting behaviour. The study, inspired by marine creatures that use bioluminescence, found that altering the predator's view of prey silhouettes from below could lead to non-invasive shark deterrent technology.

Experiments show that illuminating the underside of a decoy seal reduces attacks by great white sharks, revealing a possible strategy to protect surfers and swimmers

Covering your surfboard in bright lights sounds like an open invitation to great white sharks, but research released Tuesday by Australian scientists found it might actually stave off attacks.

However, their reliance on vision can also make them vulnerable to a clever trick. Researchers at Macquarie University have discovered a way to disrupt the visual cues that attract Great White sharks.

Dr. Laura Ryan of Macquarie University explains that lights on the underside of surfboards distort the silhouette, making it less appetizing to sharks.