Electric charge is something that is seen everywhere in the Universe – even inside living things. Some fishes, for instance, have a surprising amount of electricity in them – like the electric eel.
Eels are freshwater predators found in the shallow, muddy areas of the Amazon and Orinoco rivers in South America. They often live in stagnant waters.
They possess enormous amounts of electricity that can possibly knock off a large horse, or even kill humans. It is said that the electric discharge from eels can be stronger than 500 volts. They are also known to have around 6000 cells called electro-plaques that can produce electricity. Since eels have very poor eyesight, they emit weak electric signals for navigation to find a mate or prey. But when they spot a prey, strong shocks are given to stun them.
Other than eels, many fishes including sharks, lampreys, and cat-fishes have the ability to generate electric fields around them.
