Fun Facts

Electric Friend

Did you know there are over 500 kinds of fish that produce some electricity? Let's check out the Electric Eel . . .

Electric eels work like a battery and can discharge from 350 to 650 volts of electricity. The head acts as the positive pole and the tail is the negative pole of the battery. When it is moving it can emit electric impulses up to 25 per second. A 20-foot eel can produce enough electrical current to light 12 household light bulbs. Electric eels are mainly found in the Amazons. These guys can be dangerous and would not make a good pet.

Some bony fish and sharks have special pores on their heads that allow them to detect electrical currents. This extra sense helps them to navigate or find prey in dark or muddy water.

Other creatures like the lightning bug or firefly emit a light. It's not electricity but a chemical reaction called "bioluminescence." Light sticks are one example of chemical light. Although the chemicals are different than the chemicals made by bioluminescent creatures, the way they work is the same. These creatures produce two chemicals called luciferin and luciferase (an enzyme). When these chemicals react together they emit a "cold light." The click beetle can project enough light to read by.


These jellyfish are also bioluminescent. Most creatures emit a blue light as blue can be projected farther than any other color so that's what mother nature gave them. Deep in the ocean it's pretty dark and these creatures can emit light for navigation, mating, communication, self-defense and hunting for prey.

Thanks to the Bioluminescence Web page for these Jellyfish photos. To find out more about these bioluminescent creatures,

There are hundreds of species of plants, fungi, insects, bacteria, glowworms, even squid that are bioluminescent so check'em out and see what you can find that "glows in the dark!"