Electric eel shocks biologists! Electric eels (Electrophorus electricus) have long been known to be capable of delivering a powerful electrical shock, but biologists have now discovered that the creatures can also generate electric fields that allow them to "see" in the dark. The discovery was made by a team of researchers at Vanderbilt University who were studying how the eels use their electrical abilities to navigate in dark waters. They found that when an eel swims through water containing small particles, it generates an electrical field that causes the particles to move. By detecting the movement of these particles, the eel can determine its location and movement in complete darkness. This ability is likely what allows the eels to feed on aquatic prey at night, as well as navigate their way through the murky waters of rivers and swamps. It may also help them escape from predators, as well as hunt down prey. The discovery of the eel's "sixth sense" ...