That Time Sigmund Freud Spent Four Weeks Chopping Up Eels

Some aspects of eel reproduction remain a mystery to this day, despite Freud’s breakthrough. (Artemas Ward / Public Domain)

Sigmund Freud, renowned for his groundbreaking contributions to psychology, was a complex and multifaceted man. He was also possessed of some strange past-times, and once delved into an unconventional pursuit that might leave many scratching their heads: dissecting eels.

Beyond the realms of the human mind, Freud found fascination in the elusive secrets of eel reproduction. This peculiar chapter in Freud’s scientific endeavors raises the obvious question: what prompted the father of psychoanalysis to dedicate his time to unraveling the mysteries hidden within the aquatic world?

The answer is he, along with many other naturalists, was trying to work out what the heck was going on with eels’ apparent lack of genitalia.