It's hard to say which sounds more unlikely.

Tiny, translucent, defenseless larva that look more like willow leaves than animals,

spawned in the Argoso sea, steering clear of predators on their long

migration to the coast of Maine, or the fact that once they arrive, these critters are worth

something like $2,500 a pound.

From KERA in Dallas, this is think.

I'm Chris Boyd.

Eels are an age-old source of unsolved mysteries for scientists,

a postmodern source of ill-gotten gains for criminals, and my guest is convinced a kind of

naturally occurring roar shock test for all of us, in that how we think about eels reveals

more about us than about them.

Ellen Rupilchelle is Professor Emeritus of Science Journalism at Boston University,

and she thinks eels are one of the most remarkable species on the planet.

Her book is called Slippery Beast, a true crime, natural history with eels.

Ellen, welcome to think.

Thanks so much for having me, Chris.

Nature's Rorschach, Testa.

What are some of the different ways you have found people think about eels?

And what do those notions tell you about the person?

That's a very good question.

Actually, it started with me. I had always been fearful of eels. And then one day, I live about half the year in Maine. One day I learned that eels existed in my little lake outside my front door. I had no idea that they did. And of course, I was terrified.

I thought, my gosh, if I jump in that lake, are they going to bite? I mean, we'd all heard about the screeching eels in the Princess Bride, right? So that's kind of what I thought.

...