Shark brains 'similar to those of humans' "Great white sharks have quite large parts of the brain associated with their visual input, with implications for them being much more receptive to repellents targeting visual markers," Ms Yopak said of the research, published in a special edition of the journal Brain, Behaviour and Evolution. Yopak said studies found this technology could be effective but failed to repel great whites in all cases. Understanding how their brains work could be vital to developing new deterrents, which could be something as simple as marking patterns on surfboards and wetsuits. "A shark may recognise a poisonous sea-snake's markings and swim away, for example, and we can use this information to cue a response," she said. It's about understanding how their neurobiology affects their (behaviour). Yopak is part of a multidisciplinary team at the university's Oceans Institute working towards new commercial repellents. Most sharks had been found to have brains of the same relative size as mammals or birds, she added, debunking any idea they are "tiny-brained eating machines." Sharks are common in Australian waters but deadly attacks have previously been rare, with only one of the average 15 incidents a year typically proving fatal. Experts say the average number of attacks in the country has increased in line with population growth and the popularity of water sports.