12/10/2023
Can the electric fish generate enough energy to power your household's electrical appliance?
Electric fish generate electricity for communication, navigation, and defense, but the voltage they produce is relatively low. While it's theoretically possible to convert this electricity, it would be highly inefficient and impractical for powering standard appliances. Electric eels, for example, produce around 600 volts, but their power output is relatively low.
Writing June 27, 2014, in the journal Science, a team of researchers led by Michael Sussman of the University of Wisconsin–Madison, Harold Zakon of the University of Texas at Austin, and Manoj Samanta Of the Systemic Institute in Redmond, Washington identifies the regulatory molecules involved in the genetic and developmental pathways that electric fish have used to convert a simple muscle into an organ capable of generating a potent electrical field.
The work establishes the genetic basis for the electric organ, an anatomical feature found only in fish and that evolved independently half a dozen times in environments ranging from the flooded forests of the Amazon to murky marine environments.
Electric fish are primarily found in freshwater environments, not in the sea. These fish use electricity for various purposes, including communication, navigation, and prey detection. There are more than 600 known species of electric fish, most of which are found in South America and Africa. The most famous of these electric fish include electric eels, electric catfish, and elephantfish. They generate electric fields through specialized electric organs and use them for electrolocation, communication, and stunning prey.
Have you seen or touched an electric fish before? Tell us about your experience.