Biology
The Sensory Ecology of Electroreception in Weakly Electric Fish for Navigation and Communication
Quick fact
Weakly electric fish generate a continuous or pulsed electric field using a specialized electric organ, and they detect distortions in that field with electroreceptors scattered across their skin, allowing them to perceive objects, avoid predators, and even communicate with other fish—all without using their eyes.
Why this is interesting
Have you ever tried to navigate a dark room by feeling the walls with your hands? Some fish have a much more sophisticated trick: they generate an electric field around themselves and sense how it bends, creating a 'electric picture' of their surroundings.