Hammerhead Sharks Prank on Teacher Delights Internet: 'Irrational Fear' - Newsweek

A teacher's irrational fearfulness came existent precocious erstwhile his students saw the cleanable accidental for a hilarious prank.

Jeff Amato is simply a prof of geological sciences astatine New Mexico State University successful Las Cruces and, during an icebreaker with students, revealed his irrational fear—hammerhead sharks.

Dr. Jeff Amato with his postgraduate students. They amazed him by dressing arsenic his "irrational fear"—hammerhead sharks. Dr. Jeff Amato

In 2015, an Ipsos canvass of 1,006 adults revealed that 51 percent of Americans are "absolutely terrified" of sharks, and 38 percent debar swimming successful the water because of this fear.

Of those who admitted they were terrified of sharks, 55 percent were women, compared to 46 percent of men.

"It's benignant of a moving gag with my family, astir however I don't similar hammerhead sharks," Amato told Newsweek. "My girl bought maine a publication astir sharks for Father's Day 1 year. So, erstwhile the icebreaker taxable was 'what's your irrational fear?' that's the archetypal happening I thought of."

A week aft the archetypal session, Amato was caught disconnected defender erstwhile helium walked into his schoolroom to beryllium greeted by students each dressed arsenic hammerhead sharks.

The people of 7 postgraduate students had each arranged to get successful afloat shark attire, arranged by 1 pupil named Amahi.

"First, I was confused, arsenic I saw the costumes from the backmost of the classroom," said Amato. "Then I realized wherefore they were doing this, and I started laughing."

A representation of a radical of postgraduate students dressed arsenic hammerhead sharks astatine New Mexico State. They amazed their teacher with the hilarious prank. Dr. Jeff Amato

Amato took immoderate large pictures of his postgraduate students each dressed up and shared pictures connected his Twitter relationship connected November 3, wherever they person since received thousands of retweets and likes.

"What a fantastic class," work 1 reply to the viral tweet, portion different wrote: "Legends... That is awesome."

"I conscionable thought it was hilarious," said Amato. "I had nary thought that yet it would beryllium seen by implicit 20 cardinal people, arsenic the archetypal tweet was reposted to Instagram, Facebook, and Reddit.

"I didn't adjacent cognize it went viral until 1 of the students emailed maine aboriginal that evening. I was blown distant by however galore radical saw the station and enjoyed it. Overall, it's 1 of the astir memorable experiences of my 25 years of teaching."

Another Twitter idiosyncratic joked: "This seems suspicious; I stake immoderate of them are really sharks disguised arsenic students disguised arsenic sharks."

Meanwhile, others had a wholly opposing absorption arsenic 1 reply read: "I would outcry with happiness astatine this! Hammerheads are my favorite."

"How bully of them to crook this into a rational fear," joked another.