The electric eels are a genus, Electrophorus, of tropical freshwater fish from South America in the family Gymnotidae. They are electric fish, and can stun their prey by delivering shocks at up to 860 volts. Their electrical capabilities were first studied in 1775, contributing to the invention in 1800 of the electric battery. Despite their name, they are not closely related to the true eels (order Anguilliformes) but are electroreceptive knifefish (order Gymnotiformes), more closely related to catfish. Previously, the genus was believed to be monotypic, containing only Electrophorus electricus. In 2019 it was discovered that there were three species. They are nocturnal, air-breathing animals, with poor vision complemented by electrolocation; they mainly eat fish. Males are larger than females. Electric eels grow for as long as they live, adding more vertebrae to their spinal column. Some captive specimens have lived for more than 20 years.

Read more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_eel

_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

1660:

Robert Boyle, John Wilkins, Christopher Wren and other leading scientists met at Gresham College in London to found a learned society, now known as the Royal Society. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Society

1943:

World War II: U.S. president Franklin D. Roosevelt, British prime minister Winston Churchill, and Soviet premier Joseph Stalin (all three pictured) met at the Tehran Conference to discuss war strategy against the Axis powers. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tehran_Conference

1987:

South African Airways Flight 295 suffered a catastrophic in- flight fire and crashed into the Indian Ocean east of Mauritius, killing all 159 on board. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_African_Airways_Flight_295

_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:

pelt: 1. (transitive) 2. To bombard (someone or something) with missiles. 3. To force (someone or something) to move using blows or the throwing of missiles. 4. Of a number of small objects (such as raindrops), or the sun's rays: to beat down or fall on (someone or something) in a shower. 5. Chiefly followed by at: to (continuously) throw (missiles) at. 6. (archaic except Britain, dialectal) To repeatedly beat or hit (someone or something). 7. (figuratively) To assail (someone) with harsh words in speech or writing; to abuse, to insult. 8. (intransitive) 9. Especially of hailstones, rain, or snow: to beat down or fall forcefully or heavily; to rain down. 10. (figuratively) To move rapidly, especially in or on a conveyance. 11. (archaic, also figuratively) Chiefly followed by at: to bombard someone or something with missiles continuously. 12. (obsolete) To throw out harsh words; to show anger. 13. A beating or falling down of hailstones, rain, or snow in a shower. 14. (archaic except Ireland) A blow or stroke from something thrown. 15. (figuratively, archaic) 16. (except Ireland) A verbal insult; a jeer, a jibe, a taunt. 17. (except Midlands, Southern England (South West)) A fit of anger; an outburst, a rage. 18. (chiefly Northern England except in at (full) pelt) An act of moving quickly; a rush. [...] https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/pelt

___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:

The world is your kaleidoscope, and the varying combinations of colours, which at every succeeding moment it presents to you are the exquisitely adjusted pictures of your ever-moving thoughts.So you will be, what you "will" to be. Let failure find its false content, In that poor word "environment," But spirit scorns it and is free.   --James Allen https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/James_Allen