A William Paterson University professor and his students are studying modern sharks compared to their prehistoric ancestors as Discovery airs its popular “Shark Week.”

Environmental sciences professor Martin Becker studies sharks, their histories and their habits. Becker, who is also a licensed fisherman and boat captain, says that his classes focus on comparing modern great whites and Makos with the fossils of older sharks.

He says that he and his students want to find out if the prehistoric sharks were able to regulate their body temperatures like the modern ones do. He says that he understands the fascination with sharks in New Jersey, particularly at the Jersey Shore, where they have been known to show up.

“We haven’t had any real shark attacks in New Jersey since 1916, but with the protection of seals and large sharks like great whites, they are coming closer and closer to where bathers swim and threat becomes an issue and area of concern,” Becker says.

The professor says that he wants to remind swimmers that sharks are not looking to attack humans. He says that if they bite or attack it is usually by accident.

New Jersey’s largest shark on record was recently caught off the coast of Brielle. Six fishermen reeled in a 929-pound Mako shark this past weekend. Unfortunately the fishermen are not able to claim the record because they caught the fish together. A fisherman needs to catch a fish alone in order to claim the record, according to the state DEP.