Seal-shaped boards decked with bright horizontal lights were less likely to be attacked by great white sharks, researchers found.

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.

Let there be light! That’s what shark researchers are saying after finding that LED lights on surfboards could be the key to preventing great white shark bites. The Australian scientists have published the results of a six-year shark study that could lead to a revolution in surfboard design.

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