How the Electric Eel Produces Electricity
[caption id="attachment_5928" align="alignright" width="440"] Electric Eel - Attribution 2.5 Generic by Vsion[/caption] In my youth, I was a tropical fish hobbyist. I had many amazing fish in my aquaria. Among my favorites was the knife fish. Now I never would have had an electric eel in my fish tanks. Yet, the electric eel is a kind of knife fish! Electrophorus electricus can produce more than 500 volts. This grotesque creature is a danger to many moderate sized creatures, such as humans. The electric eel is native to northeastern South America. It may reach more than 8 feet¹ in length. E. electricus usually dwells in rivers, but can inhabit swampy areas. They prefer to remain in darker regions. The skin of the electric eel protects it from being shocked by its…