CSI Shark: Forensics of a Shark Attack

Summary

---

Curiosity Weekly: "CSI Shark: Forensics of a Shark Attack"

Podcast: Curiosity Weekly from Discovery
Host: Dr. Samantha Yammine
Guest: Rosie Moore (Biologist and Conservationist)
Release Date: July 29, 2026

---

Episode Overview

This episode dives deep into the real science behind shark attacks, separating movie myth from marine fact. Dr. Samantha Yammine interviews apex predator ecologist and Shark Week regular Rosie Moore about the forensics of shark bites, the realities of human-shark conflict, conservation, and what science actually reveals about these misunderstood ocean predators. Also featured: new studies on cat and dog behavior, recent mosquito research, and actionable conservation tips for listeners.

---

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Shark Perception vs. Reality ([01:05]–[09:00])

• Host’s Perspective: Dr. Yammine discusses how sharks have the "worst PR" of all animals due to cultural portrayals in media (“Jaws,” “Deep Blue Sea”), which impacts conservation efforts.
• Impact: Fear of sharks leads to negative consequences for their conservation; scientists like Rosie are working to shift that narrative.

2. Getting to Know Rosie Moore ([09:24])

• Rosie’s background: Master diver, biologist specializing in dangerous species like sharks and Burmese pythons.
• Quote:

  "Basically, anything that can kill you I like to specialize in."
  — Rosie Moore [09:47]

• She highlights her fascination with “creepy crawlies” and top predators.

3. Human-Wildlife Conflict and Population Changes ([10:18]–[11:53])

• Increasing human population density and wildlife recovery are causing more frequent predator-human encounters.
• Key Fact: "Florida has the second highest rate of human-shark conflict in the world, next to Australia." ([11:13])
• Misconceptions: Higher sightings don't necessarily mean more sharks—just more overlap with humans.

4. Sharks, Crocodiles, and Coexistence ([11:55])

• South Florida is the only place where crocodiles and alligators coexist.
• Crocodile populations are recovering due to conservation laws, making sightings more common and sometimes alarming for locals.

5. Shark Week: Behind the Scenes ([13:08])

• Rosie recounts intense Shark Week filming, performing stunts and conducting research for public engagement.
• Memorable Moment: Rosie describes nearly being lost at sea while tagging bull sharks, losing her safety marker to a shark, and the hour-long ordeal before rescue.
• Quote:

  "As I deployed [my surface marker], a bull shark came in and ripped it out of my hand."
  — Rosie Moore [15:17]

• Illustrates the real dangers scientists face—often more from the environment than the animals.

6. Shark Tagging and Citizen Science ([16:31]–[19:26])

• Traditional tagging involves physically attaching tags to the shark’s fin, sometimes requiring hands-on intervention.
• Advances: Collection of environmental DNA (eDNA) from water samples to identify presence and distribution of sharks—even in locations where sightings are rare.
• Community science: Boaters in the Mediterranean collect water samples for researchers, expanding reach and lowering costs.

7. The Conservation Impact of Tagging and Sampling ([19:26]–[20:57])

• Tagging helps track migration, birthing grounds, and population health.
• Unexpected findings: Traces of pharmaceuticals and illicit drugs (like cocaine) are being found in sharks, showing how human waste enters marine food webs.

8. CSI Shark: Forensics of Shark Attacks ([21:01]–[22:49])

• Forensic analysis is crucial when footage or eyewitness reports are unclear.
• Tooth shape and bite pattern analysis, combined with environmental factors and any available footage, help identify the culprits.
• Quote:

  “You kind of have to literally be an investigator. You have to look at the bite, you have to look at the location.”
  — Rosie Moore [21:24]

• Example: Overlapping shark species require close bite-morphology analysis on objects like surfboards.

9. Preventing Shark Attacks: Conditions Matter ([23:00]–[24:36])

• Shark attacks are extremely rare and often not preventable (“many happen really fast…nothing you could have done to prevent them”).
• Environmental “triggers” like murky water, rainfall, or murky conditions tend to increase risk.
• Bull sharks especially “switch” behavior in low-visibility:

  "If it's a murky day...you see them completely switch...they want to bump you, give a little nibble."
  — Rosie Moore [23:59]

10. Conservation: How Listeners Can Help ([25:00])

• Citizen science: Participate in platforms like 'shark log' to report shark sightings.
• Advocacy: Stay informed and support legislation via expert voices on social media.
• Quote:

  “Follow your favorite scientists and see their opinions on some of those policies and legislation, so you can throw your support behind these causes!”
  — Rosie Moore [25:35]

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Basically, anything that can kill you I like to specialize in.” — Rosie Moore [09:47]
• “Florida has the second highest rate of human-shark conflict in the world, next to Australia.” — Rosie Moore [11:13]
• “As I deployed [my surface marker], a bull shark came in and ripped it out of my hand.” — Rosie Moore [15:17]
• “You kind of have to literally be an investigator. You have to look at the bite, you have to look at the location.” — Rosie Moore [21:24]
• “If it's a crystal clear, calm day [bull sharks] are super chill… if it's a murky day… they want to use everything but their eyes to figure out what you are.” — Rosie Moore [23:59]
• “Follow your favorite scientists and see their opinions on some of those policies and legislation, so you can throw your support behind these causes!” — Rosie Moore [25:35]

---

Important Timestamps & Segments

• Debunking Cat & Dog Stereotypes: [01:05]–[06:54]
  Comparative study on prosocial behavior in toddlers, dogs, and cats.
• Mouse, Mosquitoes & Light Pollution: [28:49]–[32:50]
  How porch lights can prolong mosquito seasons and disease transmission.
• Main Shark Interview with Rosie Moore: [09:00]–[26:24]

---

Actionable Takeaways

• Participate in citizen science by reporting shark sightings via apps or logbooks.
• Support conservation by amplifying expert voices and advocacy efforts online.
• Simple lifestyle changes—like responsible lighting—impact both local ecology and public health.

---

Episode Tone & Style

Friendly, curious, and scientifically rigorous; Dr. Yammine makes complex research accessible and engaging, while Rosie Moore provides first-hand field stories and a grounded, fact-first perspective on apex predators.

---

For further shark science, tune in to Shark Week on Discovery and stay curious!

Transcript

[Financial Advisor]

Because you didn't just say, how can I provide these investments? You'd be, how do I holistically provide everything? How do I bring in the legal, the accounting, all this and do it at a price point no one else is doing it.

[Creative Planning Representative]

Learn more about how we approach wealth [e-mail] integrated one second you're enjoying your

[ADT Security Narrator]

day off, the next your phone buzzes, a window has been broken at home, you're miles away.

[Rosie Moore]

In one second, everything can change.

[ADT Security Narrator]

That's why ADT security systems can monitor

[Adam Grant]

your home 24 7.

[ADT Security Narrator]

They're backed by the most company operated monitoring centers in the industry. So you're always supported during an emergency.

[Adam Grant]

When every second Counts count on ADT. Visit ADT.com to learn more.

[Paige from Giggly Squad]

Hi, this is Paige from Giggly Squad and today's episode is brought to you by McDonald's. Honestly, Caesar sauce and a Diet Coke at McDonald's might be the perfect girl. Dinner and McCrispy strips dipped in Caesar sauce. No notes right now at participating McDonald's. The $2.99 Caesar snack wrap is making me rethink my ent entire go to order. Caesar sauce is at participating McDonald's for a limited time. So go try it before it's gone.

[Dr. Samantha Amin]

Prices and participation may vary. Sometimes animals can have bad pr. I mean, Anaconda and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets personally made me terrified of snakes. The birds set off a panic about, you know, well, birds, the animal that arguably has the worst primary. That's sharks. We've got Jaws, Deep Blue Sea, the Shallows, movies that convince us that sharks are the villains of the deep, when really they're some of the most complex and fascinating creatures on the planet. The people who live and breathe shark science work hard to shift the perceptions of these apex predators, because fear of sharks leads to some very real consequences on their conservation. Here to talk about her research on sharks for Discoveries Shark Week 2020 26, we have Rosie Moore. Rosie is a biologist and conservationist who's no stranger to getting up close and personal with a wide variety of sharks. Before that, a new study came out claiming that cats are more selfish than dogs and humans for that matter. And later, we'll look into something we all do and how it may be making mosquitoes stick around for longer. But don't worry, it's easy to change. My name is Dr. Samantha Amin, and welcome to Curiosity Weekly. Oh, and for more shark science, check out Shark Week only on Discovery. Talk to a dog person about cats and one of the first things they'll bring up is how selfish cats are compared to man's best friend. Cat lovers will tell you about the strength of their bond with their pet, despite the feline reputation for independence. Well, we now have scientific evidence that backs up the stereotype that cats are more selfish than dogs and humans for that matter. Though, cat lovers will say it isn't selfishness, it's smarts. Researchers in Hungary conducted a study where they compared the prosocial behaviors between toddlers, dogs and cats. Basically to test if each of them act in a way that benefits others without a direct reward. The experiment tasks a familiar caregiver with looking for a certain object. The goal was to see whether the subjects of the experiment will help the caregiver find what they need. So the researchers rounded up the three groups. Toddlers between 16 and 24 months old, companion dogs with no special training, and companion cats. They had each group sit back and watch while someone they trusted, in this case a parent or a pet owner, interacted with an object. The object they chose was a dish sponge, because that's something that isn't particularly meaningful to any of the groups of subjects. Then the caregiver would turn away while the experimenter hid the sponge, all while the test subject watched. The researchers ran this three times per subject, each time making the hiding spot progressively easier to find. The first time, it was covered and out of reach. Then it was visible, but still out of reach. Then, right there on the floor, the caregiver would start looking for the sponge, and the team measured whether each group would either a look at the sponge, B indicate somehow where the sponge was, or C help by actually giving the caregiver the sponge. During the caregiver search, all three species paid similar levels of attention. But when the caregiver lost the sponge, the toddlers and the dogs would either move toward the sponge, make eye contact, or bring it to the caretaker directly. More than 75% of toddlers and dogs did one of those prosocial behaviors, suggesting a strong motivation to help despite the lack of reward for doing so. But cats, on the other hand, they were much less likely to display these behaviors, and they paid just as much attention to the situation as the dogs and toddlers, but simply chose not to act. Which, you gotta admit, it tracks pretty well with their reputation. But when the researchers changed up the experiment and used something the subjects were all interested in, like their favorite treat or toy, then the cats suddenly engaged, helping the human find the object to the same level as dogs and toddlers. The researchers say that this aligns with the social evolution of each species, humans naturally help each other out. And dom dogs are naturally social and were often specifically bred throughout history to do the same. Cats descended from solitary ancestors and settled near human communities on their own accord, likely to be closer to food or rodents, things they're very much interested in. Now you might be wondering, maybe dogs just learn to fetch things for their owners, or maybe toddlers just think hide and seek is fun. The researchers thought of that too. They specifically excluded any dogs with fetch training, and they ran a habituation phase beforehand where subjects got to investigate the object until they lost interest. So that tells us that simple curiosity wasn't explaining the results. They also had the caregiver search without engaging with the baby or pet, so it didn't feel like playtime. And none of the test trials involved any reward. So there was nothing in it for the dogs or toddlers except apparently wanting to help. It doesn't mean that they don't love their caretakers or aren't excellent pets. Cat owners put your weapons down. It just means that their reputation for independence is well earned and they don't rely on humans as much as dogs. It also means that domestication alone isn't enough to produce this kind of helpfulness. Cats are domesticated too, after all. What dogs have that cats don't is a cooperative ancestor, plus thousands of years of being specifically bred to work alongside people. That's a combination that cats never had. So sure, cats may not be prone to helping us out or playing games when it isn't in their best interest. And you know what? We wouldn't want them to anyway. Let the cats do their thing.

[ADT Security Narrator]

Your line just went down. The scramble starts. Clipboards, binders, phone calls. Every minute down costs money, and most unplanned breakdowns are preventable. MaintainX helps you catch the failure before it happens with easy to manage preventative maintenance and work orders that can be created and assigned in seconds. No binders, no Excel, no scramble Companies on Maintain X have cut unplanned downtime by over 30%. Try it [e-mail] this message is brought

[Walden University Narrator]

to you by today's sponsor, Walden University. Set a course for Change now is the time to make a real change in your life, career and community. At Walden University, we give you the support and flexibility to get the w. Walden's online programs are designed for working professionals like you. You'll gain hands on skills to take on real world challenges and succeed. Your future is waiting and Walden is here to help you achieve it. Take the first step to make your impact, visit waldenu. Edu Walden University Set a Course for Change Certified to operate by Chev hey,

[Paige from Giggly Squad]

it's Paige from Giggly Squad. Abercrombie's latest drop is basically my current summer obsession. It's just a lineup of those key pieces that make getting dressed feel easier. The Sloan tailored pants is my go to when I want something a little more polished, and the Dylan dress is that effortless piece you can throw on and still feel put together. Their matching sets instantly make any plan feel styled, and their everyday denim is just the foundation for literally everything else. It all feels really wearable, elevated, and easy to repeat, which is exactly what I want right now. Keep up with the pace of summer without overthinking it. Shop in the app, online and in stores.

[Financial Advisor]

Because you didn't just say, how can I provide these investments? You'd be how do I holistically provide everything? How do I bring in the legal, the accounting, all this, and do it at a price point no one else is doing it.

[Creative Planning Representative]

Learn more about how we approach wealth management@creative planning.com Integrated

[Financial Advisor]

Foreign.

[Interviewer]

Capture Our fascination quite like the question of what happens when sharks and humans cross paths. I'm not talking about the sensationalized version we see in the movies, but the

[Dr. Samantha Amin]

real methodical science of understanding why an

[Interviewer]

attack occurred, what species was responsible, and

[Dr. Samantha Amin]

what factors lined up to make it happen. Rosie Moore is an apex predator, ecologist, conservationist, and master diver who is genuinely

[Interviewer]

trying to understand shark attacks and not just fear them.

[Dr. Samantha Amin]

She was featured on Shark Week shows

[Interviewer]

like Bull Shark Dinner Bell and what Shark Attacked. You can watch her work on discovery starting July 26th. Welcome to the show, Rosie.

[Rosie Moore]

Thanks for having me.

[Interviewer]

Sharks are not the only apex predator that you've studied.

[Dr. Samantha Amin]

You've also researched snakes, namely the Burmese python.

[Interviewer]

I mean, what is it about these species that usually terrify people that have you so hooked up?

[Rosie Moore]

You know, I think I've always loved the creepy crawlies. The weirder an animal, the more interested I am in it. And so I started actually in shark research. That's all I have ever wanted to do since I was probably in high school. I became obsessed with sharks and then I got kind of swept in a different route and brought into Everglades research, working with crocodiles, alligators, and large body constrictors, namely the Burmese python. So basically anything that can kill you I like to specialize in.

[Interviewer]

You've been working on understanding the wildlife interactions between humans and these really intense predators for over a decade now.

[Dr. Samantha Amin]

So have there been any Changes that

[Interviewer]

you see now versus when you first started out?

[Rosie Moore]

Yeah, I mean, it depends on the area and what kind of animals we're talking about. I think we have a lot of things happening. I think we have a lot of apex predators moving into areas that we have larger populations of humans as well. So I think one, a lot of apex predators are getting more comfortable around humans, but also we're encroaching on their environment a little more. So we're seeing a lot more human wildlife conflict, both with crocodiles, with snakes, with sharks, with everything.

[Interviewer]

Optimistically, I was hoping that as people become more aware of how these species might be threatened due to climate crisis,

[Dr. Samantha Amin]

are we being more thoughtful in the way we interact with them?

[Rosie Moore]

I would actually say no. I would say so here in Florida, obviously. So we have the second highest rate of human shark conflict in the world, next to Australia. And so we see, obviously, a lot of fishermen and a lot of people that utilize the waterways seeing more sharks. So it leads to kind of the misconception that we are actually having this boom in shark populations around the world when really what we're seeing is an overlap of we're all competing for the same fish, or, you know, the sharks are coming closer inshore to get the same fish that we want to fish for. So it's actually creating more conflict. And I think apex predators are actually getting more backlash now than ever.

[Dr. Samantha Amin]

Oh, interesting. Can you say more?

[Adam Grant]

Why?

[Interviewer]

Why is that?

[Rosie Moore]

Well, so even with crocodiles here in Florida. So did you know that we have both crocodiles and alligators in South Florida? It's actually the only place in the world where the two species overlap and coexist. So historically, probably, you know, 20 years ago, we had less than 2,000 crocodiles here in Florida. Now that we implemented protections, the population is booming. It's expanding rapidly. Still not back to historical healthy levels, but now we have about 3,000 ish in South Florida. So people aren't used to seeing crocodiles in their backyard. So as soon as they see one, they kind of freak out. They immediately call fwc. They want it off their property. They see it thermoregulating, which is how a crocodilian kind of cools its body down and, you know, adapts to its environment. They'll just have their mouth, like, super wide open, and it looks like a threatening posture. And if you're not used to that, you immediately think it's trying to attack you or that it's a threat. So, again, I just don't think people are used to seeing Apex predators so close in larger numbers as the populations recover.

[Interviewer]

You're featured in two shows this year, Little Shark Dinner Bell and what Shark Attacked. Can you tell us more about what the filming experience was like for both of them? And some of the stuff you got up to.

[Rosie Moore]

Shark Week is always insane. It's my favorite time of the year. One because we get to do the craziest stunts. You get to do science, but you get to make it engaging for the public too. So we're always thinking of how do we do this text and how do we collect the data, but how do we make it fun? Which is obviously, as a scientist, that's your dream. I have gotten into some very close encounters in some life or death situations. One that's going to be shown this year and I'm a little nervous for it sometimes. Obviously we have close calls with the wildlife we're working with because some of the situations, like I said, can be very intense and very up close and personal when you're applying tags underwater or doing things like that this year. I don't know if I'm allowed to say this, but I'm going to regardless. Is I actually got lost at sea while filming. No, we had, we had a tight schedule. We were, we had a big population of bull sharks that we were bound and determined to do the study on this year to kind of see what triggers bul shark attacks. And there was a few days during filming where it was super rough conditions, about six foot seas. Honestly, we're crazy for being out there. We had probably 40 bull sharks on our boat. Within minutes of arriving on the site that we had been working with, we went down. The currents in Jupiter are famous for just ripping like they are such strong currents. And we were so focused on doing this study underwater. It was just me and Cole, my videographer, and I was working. I had probably five or six bull sharks on me. I turn around and he's gone. Completely gone. So we were at different levels. Yeah, one of us was lower, the other one was higher. So the currents were uneven. We looked away for a few seconds and I turned around and he was gone. So I, as a diver, you look around for a minute or two, you know, and I was like, he's nowhere, he's gone. And so I was like, okay, SMB you carry. Basically, it's called like a safety sausage. We just inflate this long balloon to like use a surface marker to let the boat know where we're at. Went to the surface. As I deployed it, a bull shark came in and ripped it out of my hand.

[Interviewer]

Oh, my gosh.

[Rosie Moore]

I've never seen anything like that. But bull sharks, you know, when they're really fired up, as soon as something fast and bright and has that contrast starts moving, they go for it. Literally ripped it out of my hand. Took my SMB with it. So mind you, I get to the surface. Yeah, took the whole thing, Ripped it right out of my hand. I get to the surface, I'm looking around, I can't see the boat. We have a full face mask on. It's six foot seas and I have no marker to, like, tell anybody where I'm at. So they completely lost me for an hour. I was gone missing at sea. And like, when you're out there, do you know what goes through your head?

[Interviewer]

I was going to ask you exactly

[Rosie Moore]

what that's like, my biggest fear. Because the number one thing is water. It's you're out at sea. I was like, when's the last time I drank water? Like, how long do I have to be found? You know, you're looking everywhere. Those days were so rough. There were no other boats on the water. So finally, after an hour, they found me and they showed me the footage. They found me using a drone. But I mean, a lot of the life or death situations you get into when filming, sometimes surprisingly, don't involve the wildlife, but actually the conditions.

[Interviewer]

Speaking of the things that you get up to, a big part of your research is tracking and tagging sharks, specifically great whites. You know, you go big or go home, apparently. So first, can you tell me, like, how does one do that? Because it seems incredibly stressful and difficult. Plus the camera's watching. How does that happen?

[Rosie Moore]

You know, my first time actually applying a tag underwater was on Shark Week 2 because I've tagged a lot at the surface, but never underwater. And you gotta imagine, I think I was the only girl on that dive. And I've got three cameras on me, two other male scientists that I'm trying to impress. Like, these are your eyes. You know, you grow up watching them on tv. I was so excited to work with them. And I was like, don't mess this up. Be confident, you know, And I feel like the more nervous you are, the more likely you are to mess things up. So I think I've gotten better about that. I think for that one. What was that one? That was Shark Week mating games. And I actually had to like, jump on the back of the tiger shark and manually apply the tag to be able to. I was sweating underwater. Sweating. But we did it. And I'm super proud of myself for doing that. But we do some really incredible tracking too, just through my work at the International Seakeepers Society too, for great white sharks, which is interesting because some of the ways we track them is less physical than you would imagine. So we actually use environmental DNA. So basically think of if you were in a bathtub, I could scoop out some of your bath water and you're gonna have cells in there, right? Like you leave traces of hair. And so sharks do the same thing whenever they travel through water for about 48 hours after they've been in an area, you can find, you know, old cells and stuff. So we actually use boaters around the world to give us water samples that we then send to Virginia Tech and then Jeremy actually analyzes them to map great white shark distribution all throughout the Mediterranean.

[Interviewer]

Is that the community science angle that you all have at the International Seakeeper Society?

[Rosie Moore]

Yeah, so that's citizen science. It's just regular boaters that are moving through the Mediterranean that are like, you know, we're going to be here. Can we collect samples for you? And then it saves us as scientists having to pay to travel through, you know, multiple bodies of water in countries and pay hundreds of thousands of dollars to do the research. These people are like, we're already there. Why don't we just help you collect these samples? So it's a huge plus for scientists. And I think it's also cool because a lot of the boaters, whenever you ask them to do that project, they're like, there's no great white sharks in the Mediterranean. They're like, we've never seen one. We've been here for years. Because they're so cryptic. Like, when you think of a great white shark, we think of this massive large body shark that obviously you're going to see, right? But they swim so deep and it's like right where they really come to the surface to where you would actually see them. But then once we analyze the samples, we always go back to the boaters. We're like, actually, you were in the vicinity of a great white shark.

[Interviewer]

And then how does the tagging, whether it's a researcher like yourself physically tagging a shark or collecting that environmental DNA, how does that help with conservation? What do we do with that type of information?

[Rosie Moore]

A really interesting point that I was just discussing with some other researchers I work with is a lot of times people think tagging is our ultimate goal. Whenever we're out there looking for sharks, a lot of times it's actually Muscle biopsies and skin samples and other things like that. A big part of research right now in South Florida is actually looking at chemical transportation. So you always hear about cocaine sharks. It is kind of a real thing. You know, we are finding trace amounts of these crazy chemicals and pharmaceuticals and drugs in shark skin and muscle biopsies and things like that. So usually tagging is more of a secondary thing. It's more of like, we already have the shark captured, let's apply a sat tag or let's apply just a plastic tag. A lot of the tags that we apply are mark recapture. So it's basically just a little plastic clip you put on the fin to where if somebody catches it again, we can identify that individual and compare it to the last time we caught it. Other times they'll apply a, like Noah tag or a spaghetti tag that actually will send a ping or mark how it's moving throughout the water, like where it's going to, to teach us more about migration changes or maybe where they're giving birth, if it's a pregnant female, things like that. A lot of sharks that we work with, it's still a mystery where they give birth.

[Interviewer]

Now, people might not know that.

[Dr. Samantha Amin]

In the rare case of a shark

[Interviewer]

attack, sometimes it can be really difficult to pin down exactly what happened or

[Dr. Samantha Amin]

what kind of shark it was that

[Interviewer]

was involved in the Shark Week show, what shark attacked. You use cutting edge forensic analysis to identify shark species that might be responsible for some of these rare situations.

[Dr. Samantha Amin]

Can you tell us a little bit

[Interviewer]

more about what that type of forensic research looks like?

[Rosie Moore]

Yeah. So it's always really interesting because you think if you got attacked by a shark, somebody's going to see it or we're going to know what species it is. But a lot of times, you know, the big shark species that are known for attacks, tiger sharks, bull sharks, great whites, they might overlap in the area you find them in. And sometimes the shark bites are super nondescript. So then you're purely relying on just, you know, did anybody see it? Anybody film it? And a lot of time the footage that you see too is it looks like it was filmed on a potato. It's like super blurry, super nondescript. And you're like, this actually helps me not at all. So you kind of have to literally be an investigator. You have to look at the bite, you have to look at the location. I think one that we looked at was really interesting because somebody actually had drone footage right after the attack. And there was, I think, a great white shark in the area, and also bull sharks in the area. So then we're looking at, you know, okay, so we know there's two sharks that are largely responsible for attacks right in the area right after this attack. So who was it? And then you're looking, I think in that case too, there was a surfboard. There was a surfboard. So then we're looking at, you know, what was the size of the bite, what were the teeth imprints. Like, you know, a lot of sharks, they actually have very different teeth. Like, some are very curved, some are very straight, like the great whites, you know, what was the spacing there? And that's kind of how you have to get to the bottom of that.

[Interviewer]

Is there something that you wish viewers took away from that show and just in general about like shark attacks and what we might misunderstand about why they happen?

[Rosie Moore]

Yeah, I mean, a lot of the shark attacks that you see, they just happen really fast and they were super. There was nothing you could have really done to prevent them. And I think that's something we looked at heavily with Shark Week this year too is since you can't know necessarily when sharks are going to attack, can we look at what factors were in the area when the attack happened and use environmental factors to avoid attacks? So like in Australia, obviously we had a string of multiple attacks in a row that were really crazy and it happened within like a 24 hour, 48 hour period, which is unheard of. But then when you really look at it, you see the heavy rainfall, you see the warm water, you see a lot of these factors overlapping. And when you put those together, you realize you're essentially ringing the dinner bell for some of the most dangerous sharks to cause an attack.

[Interviewer]

In the case of bull sharks, are they usually only turning on humans when some of those specific triggers are met or is that the spoiler for the show? I don't know.

[Rosie Moore]

So I've been diving with bull sharks for probably like 15 years now, and I have a lot of experience with them. And what's really interesting about pool sharks is if it's a crystal clear, calm day, they are super chill. They honestly, they stay like 30ft away from you. They want nothing to do with you. You're good. But if it's a murky day and you have low visibility or there's bad conditions, you see them completely switch and they turn into. They just want to investigate. And it's almost like they do that with their mouths. They want to bump you, they want to give a little nibble, they want to use Everything but their eyes to figure out what you are and if you're prey.

[Interviewer]

Now, as someone, you know, you have your fins dipped in everything from conservation to these science experiments to understand what makes these apex predators tick and how they behave. On the conservation side, if people want to support a little bit more, what are some of your favorite resources to check out or where can they learn more about apex predators in general?

[Rosie Moore]

Yeah, definitely. I mean, obviously I also dabble in a lot of citizen science projects, managing those and getting people involved. There's stuff like the shark log, where even if you're just out on a boat and want to report shark sightings, we use those. Scientists around the world can log in and get those sightings and use it to, you know, do studies or figure out where they're moving and migration patterns and stuff so you can actually report your own data as a citizen without, you know, having to be a scientist.

[Dr. Samantha Amin]

Oh, that's so amazing. And are there other things for people's

[Interviewer]

everyday life about conservation they should keep in mind if they care about sharks, something they should do differently day to day?

[Rosie Moore]

Yeah, I mean, I think advocacy, too. Now with, you know, the advent of social media and ways to throw your support behind, you know, shark scientists are some of the causes we're all really good about shouting out when there's an issue with maybe a new policy or a new law being enacted or what that does to sharks and conservation. So I think even just following your favorite scientists and seeing their opinions on some of those policies and legislation, so you can throw your support behind these causes.

[Dr. Samantha Amin]

That's such good advice. Like follow the experts, see what they're

[Interviewer]

saying, and then use that to build how you think about things.

[Rosie Moore]

Build the community.

[Interviewer]

Incredible.

[Rosie Moore]

Yep.

[Interviewer]

That's amazing. Rosie, thank you so much for joining us. It's so terrifying, but fun to talk

[Rosie Moore]

to you, of course. Thank you for having me. It was so nice to meet you guys.

[Interviewer]

Shark Week has come and gone, but we love learning about these predators year round. So check out Shark Week 2026 on Discovery,

[Financial Advisor]

Because you didn't just say, how can I provide these investments? How do I holistically provide everything? How do I bring in the legal, the accounting, all this, and do it at a price point no one else is doing it.

[Creative Planning Representative]

Learn more about how we approach wealth [e-mail] integrated.

[Brooke Devard]

Hi, this is Brooke Devard from Naked Beauty. I am always looking for ways to elevate our daily rituals. And the Kohler Smart toilet is proof that design changes everything. It's this stunning sculptural piece that feels like quiet luxury for your bathroom. It totally transforms your daily ritual into something elevated with customizable cleansing and touch screen controls. It's functional art that makes your space feel cleaner and more intentional. A modern home deserves a modern toilet. Experience the difference of Kohler Smart Toilet Toilets. Find [e-mail]

[Adam Grant]

hey, this is Adam Grant, host of Ted's podcast Rethinking with Adam Grant. One assumption many organizations rarely rethink how their financial operations actually get done. That's why smart leaders turn to Bill, the intelligent finance platform that helps businesses and accounting firms scale with proven results. In fact, Bill reports that 98 of the top 100 U.S. accounting firms trust them to manage, move and maximize their clients money all in one place. The right systems can free up time, reduce drag and make growth more intentional. Visit bill.com proven to talk with an expert about automating your business finances and get a $150 gift card as a thank you. Terms and conditions apply. See Offer page for details.

[Hannah from Giggly Squad]

Hey, it's Hannah and Paige from Giggly Squad. We all know finding the perfect pet treat for your cat can be as tricky as dating in the city. But we've got you. Try Temptations Cat Treats, America's number one cat treat brand. Their Temptations Crunchy Cat Treats are the crunchy outside, soft inside treat your cat will love. Butter and Daphne are obsessed. Plus, they're 100% complete and balanced and under 2 calories per treat. Seriously, 9 out of 10 cats find temptations Treats irresistible. Make bonding easier with Temptations Cat Treats Cats can't resist.

[Interviewer]

Is this a safe space? Because look, I know mosquitoes are vital for our ecosystems, and as a science

[Dr. Samantha Amin]

podcast, we care about all that. But also, can we all agree they're one of the worst parts of the summer. A new study found that our porch lights might just be extending mosquito season into the fall as well. Mosquitoes are among many insects that usually enter a state of dormancy when the days get shorter and temperatures decrease. The official term for that is called diapause, and it's when they slow their metabolism to preserve energy, stop reproducing and feeding on blood. Which good news for us, means they don't transmit disease. Researchers have been tracking how light pollution in cities messes with different organisms ability to sense the day length. For example, city lights can make moths skip their winter dormancy or nudge trees to bud earlier in spring. So a team led by researchers at Ohio State University put this to the test. They looked at the northern house mosquito, which is the most common carrier of West Nile virus in the northern US for their experiment, they involved community members across Columbus, Ohio and the surrounding suburbs. Homeowners agreed to house two little enclosures of mosquito larvae on their property. One somewhere near a light that stays on all night, like a porch or garden light, and the other in a dark spot on the property. They repeated this across two autumns in 2022 and 2023. The enclosures had these sensors that record the temperature and light levels at 30 minute intervals. About a week after the mosquitoes reached adulthood, the researchers brought them back to the lab for analysis, and they found that the light made a huge difference. Mosquitoes raised near a light source were less likely to become dormant, more likely to feed on blood, and more likely to reproduce. In September, 70% of mosquitoes that were exposed to extra light took a blood meal, versus just 37% of the ones in the dark. But by October, every single mosquito raised without light in darker areas went dormant. Yet more than half of the ones raised near a light stayed active, even sucking blood and having babies. Temperature mattered too, especially in the dark. But the effect of light was stronger. This implies that mosquitoes rely primarily on light cues, specifically day length to time their winter shutdown. Scientists used to think that cooler tone lights were a driving part of the problem, but in this study, they used whatever lighting people already had to keep it grounded in the real world. And most people actually had warm white lights. Which tells us the common advice to just use warm lights may not actually be enough to keep mosquito populations at bay. But what does help, especially considering that more than 80% of people worldwide live under some level of light pollution. And mosquitoes aren't just annoying, by the way. They're the most deadly animal on the planet. Vector borne diseases like malaria and dengue, which are both carried by mosquitoes, kill more than 700,000 people every year, according to the WHO in 2024. So to avoid extending mosquito breeding season, researchers suggest dimming lights, shielding them so the glow doesn't spill where it isn't needed, and putting them on timers or motion sensors so they're not on all night. Plus, the classic advice to clear out standing water and other spots where mosquitoes breed. For Warner Bros. Discovery Curiosity Weekly is produced by the team at Wheelhouse DNA. The senior producer and editorial correspondent is Teresa Carey. Our producer is Chiara Noni, our audio engineer is Nick Karisimi, our fact checker is Lauren Coella, and head of Production for Wheelhouse DNA is Cassie Berman. And I'm Dr. Samantha Youen. Thanks for listening.

[Jonathan Fields]

Hey, this is Jonathan Fields, host of the Good Life Project. So there's something about summer that hits different the backyard evenings that stretch past golden hour. The citrus and salt smell of a road trip with the windows down. The moments that feel like yours. Pura's Summer Fragrance Collection is designed to bring those feelings home. Literally. Smart diffusers, clean scents controlled right from your phone. It's a small thing that makes your space feel more like you. Visit pura.com to explore the summer collection.

[ADT Security Narrator]

Your line just went down. The scramble starts Clipboards, binders, phone calls. Every minute down costs money, and most unplanned breakdowns are preventable. Maintain X helps you catch the failure before it happens with easy to manage preventative maintenance and work orders that can be created and assigned in seconds. No binders, no Excel, no scramble. Companies on Maintain X have cut unplanned downtime by over 30%. Try it [e-mail] hey, it's Hannah and

[Hannah from Giggly Squad]

Paige from Giggly Squad. We all know finding the perfect pet treat for your cat can be as tricky as d eating in the city. But we've got you. Try Temptations Cat Treats, America's number one cat treat brand their Temptations Crunchy Cat Treats are the crunchy outside, soft inside treat your cat will love. Butter and Daphne are obsessed. Plus, they're 100% complete and balanced and under 2 calories per treat. Seriously, 9 out of 10 cats find temptations Treats irresistible. Make bonding easier with Temptations Cat Treats cats can't resist.

[Creative Planning Representative]

Your team just added its 67th AI tool and also your 67th security blind spot. The good news? The Vanta Agent works like a GRC engineer in the background, finding every app your team uses, scoring the risk, and drafting fixes for you. Vanta is the platform used by over 16,000 fast moving companies like Ramp, Cursor and Harvey, who are shaping the future with AI and staying ahead of AI risk. Get started at Vanta. Com.