Shark attacks are rather rare, but when they do occur they can be deadly. Now researchers in Australia have developed a system that could use social media to not only warn when a shark attack is imminent but actually monitor the movement of sharks near beaches.
It could be the next best thing to having the sharks sign up on Twitter to announce their presence. Since that would be difficult – as sharks don’t have mobile phones or the thumbs to type out tweets – the researchers have attached transmitters to more than 320 sharks, including great whites. When the sharks get close to the beaches the sensors trigger an alert, which is picked up on a computer.
From this a short message on Surf Life Saving Western Australia’s (SLSWA) Twitter feed is posted giving details on the approximate location of the shark, as well as its size and breed. This might just make it safe to go back into the water.
[Via Sky News: Australia: Sharks Use Twitter To Warn Swimmers]