A study suggests that wrapping a surfboard in very bright lights — like aquatic Christmas trees — could make the surfer less interesting to great white sharks.

To do that, researchers endeavored to see the world through the eyes of a white shark, to understand what drives them to attack people, and find novel ways to prevent that from happening. The first thing they needed to do was understand what people look like to a shark on the prowl.

Every year, there are an estimated average of 63 unprovoked shark attacks around the world, with just five or six leading to death. While the numbers might not be staggering, the fear people have about a "Jaws-" like encounter is very real.

New research has found that using lights on the bottom side of a surfboard or kayak could put great white sharks off

Reports of shark attacks on surfers appear in the media quite regularly. Researchers have decided to tackle the issue. Scientists from Macquarie University in New South Wales have developed a simple but effective way to deter predators.