How do eels produce electricity

Already a subscriber? Sign in. Thanks for reading Scientific American. Create your free account or Sign in to continue. See Subscription Options. Discover World-Changing Science. Angel Caputi, senior scientist and head of the department of integrative and computational neuroscience at the Institute for Biological Research "Clement Estable" in Uruguay, explains.

Get smart. Sign Up. Support science journalism. Knowledge awaits. See Subscription Options Already a subscriber? He and his team found that the eel needs a lot of energy — in the form of food — to create a small jolt. Soft robots, for example, may be able to run on a small amount of power. These devices are being designed to go into harsh environments. They might explore the ocean floor or volcanoes. They might search disaster zones for survivors. Schroeder also notes that their squishy gel grid approach might be able to generate electricity from other surprising sources, such as contact lenses.

Schroeder says it took the team a lot of trial and error to get the recipe right for its artificial organ.

They worked on the project for three or four years. Over that time, they created many different versions. They tried using other synthetic materials that resembled the membranes, or surfaces, of electrocytes. But those materials were fragile. They often fell apart during testing. Gels are simple and durable, his team found. But they produce only small currents — ones too tiny to be useful.

The researchers solved this problem by creating a large grid of gel dots. This is one in a series presenting news on technology and innovation , made possible with generous support from the Lemelson Foundation. By Stephen Ornes May 2, at am.

These dots of colored, squishy gels contain water or charged particles. Squeezing the dots so that they come into contact can generate a small — but useful — amount of electricity. Tech Did Facebook put Instagram profits ahead of teen safety? By Kathiann Kowalski November 1, Psychology Will you learn better from reading on screen or on paper?

By Avery Elizabeth Hurt October 18, Tech A sense of touch could upgrade virtual reality, prosthetics and more By Kathiann Kowalski October 7, Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by e-mail. Despite their serpentine appearance, electric eels are not actually eels. Their scientific classification is closer to carp and catfish.

These famous freshwater predators get their name from the enormous electrical charge they can generate to stun prey and dissuade predators. Their bodies contain electric organs with about 6, specialized cells called electrocytes that store power like tiny batteries.

When threatened or attacking prey, these cells will discharge simultaneously. They live in the murky streams and ponds of the Amazon and Orinoco basins of South America, feeding mainly on fish, but also amphibians and even birds and small mammals. As air-breathers, they must come to the surface frequently. They also have poor eyesight, but can emit a low-level charge, less than 10 volts, which they use like radar to navigate and locate prey.

Electric eels can reach huge proportions, exceeding 8 feet in length and 44 pounds in weight. They have long, cylindrical bodies and flattened heads and are generally dark green or grayish on top with yellowish coloring underneath. Human deaths from electric eels are extremely rare. However, multiple shocks can cause respiratory or heart failure, and people have been known to drown in shallow water after a stunning jolt.

All rights reserved. Common Name: Electric Eel. Scientific Name: Electrophorus electricus. Type: Fish. Diet: Carnivore.