Why are we afraid of sharks? There’s a scientific explanation.

But where did our fear of sharks come
from, and how far back does it go? That and other shark-related
inquiries below.

Why are people afraid of
sharks?

A fear of sharks, or galeophobia, is not
irrational, says marine biologist Blake Chapman^[1], a shark expert at the
University of Queensland in Australia. Simply put, the predatory
fish are scary. Great
whites^[2], for example—the species
Hollywood immortalized as mindless killers—have mouths lined with
several rows of up to 300 dagger-like teeth that can easily shred
through prey. They can also sense tiny electromagnetic fields put
out into water by other animals, which helps them scope out their
next meal. (Watch: “World’s
Deadliest: Shark Superpowers^[3]“)

You’re more likely to be crushed to death under a falling
vending machine in your office, or a cow that collapses on you in a
field than you are to die in the jaws of a shark. But fears don’t
necessarily match facts, and the fear of being attacked by a shark
is more
about our emotional response^[4]
than the reality.

Most of all, we’re afraid of losing control. If you’re swimming
in shark-inhabited water, you don’t want the jaws of a mysterious
predator to clamp down on you and determine your fate. (Read:
“Why
Great White Sharks Are Still a Mystery to Us^[5]“)

“The idea of being munched on by an animal that is in control is
another factor,” Ropeik says. “It’s the nature of the experience,
and not the agent, per say.”

Where did this fear come from?

Fear is not necessarily something we’re born with, but it’s
something we have developed over time. Infants aren’t afraid of
snakes and heights, but as adults, our brains become more sensitive
to fearful stimuli.

But, oh boy, did our ancestors have a lot to be afraid of! Think
back to how ancient people would have survived in their primitive
habitats. They would have avoided tall cliffs and wild animals
because they knew those threats could potentially kill them, and
that’s what kept them alive. They learned fear as an adaptation to
protect themselves.

“Fear is something that we’ve inherited from our early
ancestors,” Chapman says. “[Sharks] are an animal. Biological
things like animals are something that we’re very prone to
fear.”

Sharks still seem pretty scary. What are the chances they
could kill me?

The slim chances that a shark attack could happen to us are
irrelevant. We hear of the word “shark” and we can’t help but
immediately fill in the blank after it with “attack.”

“While we can sense fear and we can interpret fear, the actual
feeling of fear is completely outside of our control,” Chapman
says.

OK, but what can I do to fight my fear of sharks?

There are a few ways you can make yourself less afraid of
sharks. You can give yourself the illusion of control, because when
you don’t feel in control, things seem scarier.

To avoid a shark attack, you can also learn how to not be shark
bait by avoiding swimming if you’re bleeding or lying on a
surfboard. (Sharks commonly go after seals, and from below, a
surfboard can look like a seal.) You can also avoid spear fishing,
because skewering fish sends out electric signals that can attract
sharks. (Read: “10 Tips
for Sharing the Beach With Sharks^[6]“)

Why is it important we still care about sharks?

Chapman says that yes, the number of shark attacks per year is
increasing, but this isn’t in line with the skyrocketing human
population. Of the 80-odd
shark attacks that happen each year^[7], fatality rates are
decreasing thanks to improving medicine and medical response
time.

The benefits of having sharks around far outweigh the
negatives.

“They are such survivors, they’ve evolved to basically survive
under any stress,” Chapman says.