Electric Eels Can Power Lightbulbs

The secret to the electric eel's shocking power lies in its unique anatomy. Despite its name, this creature is not a true eel but a type of knifefish, and the vast majority of its body is dedicated to generating electricity. It accomplishes this with thousands of specialized muscle-like cells called electrocytes, which are precisely stacked in long columns. Functioning like tiny biological batteries connected in series, these cells can all be discharged at once upon a command from the eel's nervous system, creating a powerful, short-lived electrical field.

This biological weaponry has two distinct settings. For navigating murky waters and communicating, the eel produces a low-voltage field, using it like a form of radar to sense its surroundings. When it's time to hunt or defend itself, however, it unleashes its full potential. The simultaneous discharge of its electrocytes can create a jolt of up to 860 volts, more than seven times the power of a standard U.S. wall outlet. This stunning charge is more than enough to paralyze prey and has famously been harnessed in aquarium (Deals) demonstrations to illuminate strings of LED lights, vividly proving the raw power of this incredible animal.