How the Fear of Sharks Originated

Humans' relationship with sharks is long and complex. In some cultures, sharks are revered as gods, but as humans took to the sea for trade and exploration, shark encounters became a part of seafaring lore, and that fascination turned to fear. “We really had to forget they existed in order to demonize them,” writes Juliet Eilperin, author and White House bureau chief for the Washington Post in her book Demon Fish: Travels Through the Hidden World of Sharks.