Is Jaws the reason people are afraid of sharks?

There's no question Jaws was anti-shark propaganda of the highest order. But that's not exactly where our modern deep-seated fear of them began.

For that, you have to go back to 1916, when a rash of attacks off the New Jersey coastline made headline news. The first, on July 1, claimed the life of Charles Vansant, who had his femoral artery severed after a bite. Just five days later, another man, hotel worker Charles Bruder, had his legs bitten clean off, and also died.

This burst of violence managed to change attitudes about sharks practically overnight. Prior to this, most people believed sharks were largely harmless -- or at least had no appetite for humans. These attacks were such a weird anomaly that it's reputed to be one of Peter Benchley's inspirations for Jaws.

And while the resulting film certainly reignited a fear of sharks, it was the Jersey events that first made the public at large fully aware that the animals could indeed take a bite out of the human population. For even more misconceptions about sharks, check out the full video on YouTube. The link's in the bio.