Christmas lights powered by electric eel

An electric eel at the Squa Toto Gifu aquarium in Japan is powering the lights on a Christmas tree. When the eel brushes against a copper electrode in the tan, the current is transmitted to the tree lights. The best part of the Mainichi Daily News article is this nugget:

Officials expect the "eel Christmas tree" to be a popular attraction for dating couples in the lead-up to Christmas Day, when the tree will be removed.

Link (Thanks, Paul Saffo!)

David Pescovitz is Boing Boing's co-editor/managing partner. He's also a research director at Institute for the Future. On Instagram, he's @pesco.

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davemr

Neat idea, but done 22 years ago at Vancouver aquarium. Here’s a clip about it from the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation’s CBC Archives website:

http://archives.cbc.ca/IDC-1-69-1035-5793-11/life_society/electric_eels_Christmas/
TomAqMar

I would just say that this idea feels like it was stolen from a 1930s Felix the Cat cartoon. I’m not saying it was, I’m just saying it feels like it…
iburl

“I know it’s only our first date, but does that eel lighting up that bushy tree give you any ideas?”
Emily (daturazoku)

PSH. Whatever. You know all those super awesome illuminations in Tokyo? Roppongi Hills? Takashimaya Times Square?

The TV news last week explained it was powered by shit. The government spent millions of dollars to make a waste processing plant that would turn shit into excrement and are testing it on the holiday light surge. That’s the feel good of this year for me, really, watching couples fawn over lights powered by their own excrement.
GTMoogle

Man, I wish someone would give ME money to turn shit into excrement! Easiest job EVAR!

(yeah, yeah, clearly that was intended to be ‘electricity’, let me have my fun! :) )
The Lizardman

Honestly, if this was remotely local (same country) my wife I would likely make a trip…