Published: Dec 19, 2008
A University of Tampa professor’s research on sharks’ bite force has
landed on Discover magazine’s list of the “Top 100 Stories of 2008.”
Dan
Huber, UT assistant professor and shark expert, is part of a research
group that is analyzing the hunting performance of great white sharks —
known as one of the world’s perfect predators.
The research team
created a 3-D digital recreation of an 8-foot great white shark that
reveals the animal’s biological mechanics, measures bite force and thus
offers new insights on sharks’ habits, capabilities and evolution.
The
research, Huber said, may lead to advances in protective swimwear,
shark-proofing equipment and a better understanding of flexible
cartilage — much like human ears and noses — which forms sharks’ whole
skeletons.
Huber, who is working with biologists at the
University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia and the University of
Newcastle in Newcastle, Australia, is also studying similar
characteristics on feeding performance in tiger and bull sharks, which,
along with the great white, are responsible for most attacks on humans.
News
stories featuring Huber and his research have appeared on Bay News 9,
The Discovery Channel, The History Channel, The Sydney Morning Herald,
The Australian, The Daily Telegraph and Australia’s version of MSN.
“The Top Stories of 2008” article appeared in the January issue of
Discover. To read more about Huber’s research, go to his
Shark Lab website.