Are Sharks Mathematicians?

Sharks act like brilliant mathematicians, according to new research, but they may not actually be the geniuses they appear to be.

The intelligent behavior researchers are referring to is called Lévy flight, a seemingly complex form of random walk comprising clusters of short step lengths with longer movements between them. Sharks as well as other marine predators, animals, and organisms exhibit Lévy flight as a way to locate their prey.

Andy Reynolds of Rothamsted Research, who was involved in the research, told Discovery News that the technique's movements "can be advantageous when searching for randomly distributed resources because they reduce 'over sampling' without the need for cognitive maps and sophisticated navigational abilities."

For the study, published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society A, researchers explored the idea of what makes sharks seem so smart in this way. Reynolds suggested that these fearsome predators use cues from their environment to find prey, for instance using the turbulent waters around them - an idea known as "turbulent theory."

Based on this theory, the research team found that sharks indeed "are not mathematicians," as Reynolds says. The programming for Lévy flight movements actually arises naturally if the predators change their direction of travel only after encountering patches of relatively strong turbulence.

Researchers confirmed the theory by conducting computer simulations of shark movements in turbulent flows.

"There is no need for sharks to have evolved sophisticated neurological and physiological processes for the execution of the Lévy flights, which are the lead to optimal foraging," Reynolds told Discovery News. "Lévy flights will come for free if they just turn away from patches of strong turbulence."

It only makes sense that sharks would avoid turbulent areas, as they can cause damage and disorientation.

As Reynolds says, "when the going gets tough, the tough get going."