How do electric eels generate electricity?

The answer

Electric eels generate electricity using specialized cells called electrocytes, stacked in series like batteries within three dedicated electric organs that make up about 80% of the eel's body. Each electrocyte produces a small voltage of about 0.15 volts, but thousands stacked together can produce shocks up to 860 volts at one ampere of current. The eels use low-voltage pulses for electrolocation (sensing their surroundings) and high-voltage discharges to stun prey and deter predators. In 2019, researchers discovered that there are actually three distinct species of electric eel, with Electrophorus voltai producing the highest voltage of any known bioelectric animal.