ABOUT THIS EPISODE
Today I dive into one of my favorite etymology questions I've ever researched: What did we call electric eels before electricity?
The answer leads through Ancient Egypt, Ancient Greece, Ancient Rome, the Amazon rainforest, indigenous languages, the surprising history of electricity, and even the origins of words like narcotic and torpedo.
Along the way we'll explore how electric fish were used as ancient medicine, why Carl Linnaeus named the electric eel when he did, how Alexander von Humboldt witnessed one of history's strangest animal encounters, and how the electric eel even helped inspire Alessandro Volta's invention of the world's first battery.
If you enjoy history, etymology, linguistics, science, ancient civilizations, fascinating animal facts, and the hidden origins of everyday words, you're in the right place.
Britannica. (n.d.). Electric eel. Encyclopedia Britannica.
Catania, K. C. (2016). Leaping eels electrify threats, supporting Humboldt's account of a battle with horses. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 113(25), 6979–6984.
Cabral, A. S. A. C., & Rodrigues, A. D'I. (2003). Studies on Proto-Tupi-Guarani reconstruction.
Cambridge Dictionary. (n.d.). Poraquê.
Long Now Foundation. (n.d.). The Shocking Medical History of Electric Fish.
Mello, A. A. S. (2000). Reconstrução Fonológica do Proto-Tupi-Guarani.
Meira, S., & Drude, S. (2015). Research on Proto-Tupi-Guarani lexical reconstruction.
Online Etymology Dictionary. (n.d.). Electricity; Electrical.
Smithsonian Magazine. (2016). Scientists Confirm Alexander von Humboldt's Incredible Electric Eel Story.
Tsoucalas, G., et al. (2014). The "Torpedo" Effect in Medicine. International Maritime Health, 65(2).
Wu, C. H. (1984). Electric Fish and the Discovery of Animal Electricity. American Scientist, 72(6), 598–607.
#ElectricEel #Etymology #AncientHistory #AncientEgypt #AncientGreece #Linguistics #WordOrigins #LearnOnSpotify
Music thanks to Zapsplat.
