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11 animals that have a sixth sense

A hammerhead shark swimming near the ocean floor

Photo: nicolas.voisin44/Shutterstock

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Electroreception is the amazing ability of sharks and rays to detect electrical fields in their surroundings.

In fact, the strange shape of a hammerhead shark's head is specially designed for an enhanced electroreceptive sense. Because salt water is such a good conductor of electricity, sharks with a refined sixth sense can detect their prey from the electrical charges that are emitted when a fish contracts its muscles.

The sense is so sensitive that some sharks can pick up the change in electrical current of two AA batteries that were connected 1,000 miles apart, even if one was drained out.