We’re gonna need a bigger podcast… Happy 50th birthday to Jaws!
David Shiffman, Author of Why Sharks Matter, on 50 Years of Jaws vs. Sharks
On June 20th, 1975, the scariest movie of all time surfaced in North American theatres. And suddenly it seemed like everyone was afraid of an animal almost no one without a surfboard or a fishing boat had ever thought about before - sharks.
The posters for Jaws declared: “You’ll never go in the water again.”
And some people were so scared of Steven Spielberg’s unstoppable great white killing machine that they didn’t just avoid the oceans, they were terrified of swimming in lakes. And pools.
Jaws also changed the world for movies. Jaws was the first summer blockbuster. The upcoming battle between Superman and The Fantastic Four… that’s the Jaws legacy.
And on our latest episode of Skaana we’re talking about the damage Jaws has done to sharks with someone whose career is all about… Why Sharks Matter… which is also the title of his essential book!
David Shiffman is one of those rare scientists who’s not just willing to take on misinformation, but to battle it on social media. And one reason he’s so effective is that he translates the science so that everyone can understand it.
I was delighted to talk with the author, marine conservation biologist and social media science superstar on the impact of Jaws, the challenges – and importance - of fighting fiction with facts, why you should be suspicious of “shark experts” and why we need to stop worry about sharks hurting us and worry about how we’re hurting sharks.
"More people in a typical year are bitten by other people in the New York City subway system than are bitten by sharks in the whole world... More people die falling off cliffs trying to take a scenery selfie than are killed by sharks."
And Sharks Forever… now an audiobook!
I think my favourite part of this interview was when David Shiffman explained that "shark expert" is the term Shark Week uses to identify someone who is not really a shark expert... Also, kinda cool talking about how Jack Bauer from 24 has a bigger body count than all sharks ever...