Flashy fish: electric eel powers Tennessee aquarium’s Christmas tree - The Guardian
Flashy fish: electric eel powers Tennessee aquarium’s Christmas tree - The Guardian |
| Flashy fish: electric eel powers Tennessee aquarium’s Christmas tree - The Guardian Posted: 04 Dec 2019 12:00 AM PST  Visitors to the Tennessee aquarium may be shocked to learn that the Christmas tree is being powered by an unusual renewable energy source – an electric eel. The flashy fish goes by the name of Miguel Wattson and has his own Twitter account, @EelectricMiguel. A special system connected to Miguel's tank enables his naturally occurring shocks to power strands of lights on a nearby tree, the aquarium said in a news statement. Miguel releases low-voltage blips of electricity when he is trying to find food, aquarist Kimberly Hurt said.
That translates to a rapid, dim blinking of the Christmas lights. When he is eating or excited he emits higher voltage shocks which cause bigger flashes. Wattson's Twitter account allows him to share tweets generated by his sparky self, courtesy of coding by Tennessee Tech University's iCube center, an innovation unit for students and faculty. "They combined electrical engineering and emerging business communication to give the eel a voice," center director Kevin Liska said. In between Miguel's tweets boasting statements like "SHAZAM!!!!" and "ka-BLAMEROO!!!!!," a video posted to the account shows Miguel shaking in his tank as lights on the nearby tree sputter on and off.
The aquarium hopes the Christmas tree will be a powerful appreciation for the often feared electric eel and underappreciated eels of all kinds.
The lighting-up ceremony earlier this week – dubbed by some "shocking around the Christmas tree" – inspired a widespread glow of affection for Miguel and his extraordinary powers to illuminate can be seen in full effect from now until Christmas. |
| Aquarium Releases Endangered White Abalone Into the Wild - Spectrum News 1 Posted: 19 Nov 2019 12:00 AM PST LONG BEACH, Calif. – For the first time the Aquarium of the Pacific will release White Abalone into the wild. White Abalone are shellfish that cling to hard surfaces. Dr. Sandy Trautwein was at the aquarium in 2008 when they received a handful of adults to start breeding. Experts have been caring for and spawning the White Abalone ever since. "Well I think White Abalone are pretty sexy," said Dr. Trautwein. RELATED l Rehabilitated 50-Pound Turtle Released Back Into The Wild There are eight species of abalone off the California coast. All of the species are protected, but only the White Abalone are federally endangered. "White abalone are snails and to me they're so endearing and they have such a great story," said Dr. Trautwein. Abalone were plentiful some decades ago, but they were hunted almost off the face of the planet. Releasing them into the wild is a gradual process. Lobsters, big fish, and octopus prey on White Abalone, so for their first few weeks in the ocean the small creatures are inside a protective case called a safe module. Divers feed them as the netting ensures water and nutrients are the only things to enter. This month the protective case will be opened and the abalone will be allowed to roam free. Poachers are also a concern. That is why the aquarium is not giving away the exact locations of the release. With the help of big players like The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the University of California Davis Bodega Marine Laboratory, a few thousand White Abalone are being released. Dr. Trautwein hopes this is the first step to prevent extinction. |
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