The Tag That Could Save Sharks
Shark Tag Courtesy A. Driever, Desert Star Systems LLC; Inset: Courtesy Jim Abernethy Shark behavior is one of the great mysteries of the ocean, and mediocre tags are primarily to blame. Scientists can't understand something they can't measure. Compared with other marine-animal tags, the HammerTag, now in prototype, is cheaper by hundreds of dollars, lasts years longer, and stores up to a thousand times more data. It can record a shark's entire life, and when the shark dies, it will detach-via explosive charge-and float to the surface to make a final data dump. 1) ATTACHMENT Scientists attach the tag to the shark in two ways. On smaller sharks, they use a small lance. On larger ones, they drill three small holes in the dorsal fin and string a nylon cord through them. 2) NOSE CONE The nose cone connects the tag to the shark. It remains attached to the shark even...