How Candle Nuts and Lampreys Lit Homes Before Electricity

Tropical nature has given people nearly everything they needed: food, clothing, and even light.

On Pacific islands and in parts of South America, people harvest plants whose fruits locals call “candle nuts.” These fruits are edible, but they also serve a practical purpose for lighting homes. When lit, a candle nut burns for a long time with a steady flame, producing no smoke or soot.

In the harsh North, people turned to a different natural “candle” — the lamprey, a marine animal that resembles a fish. They caught and dried lampreys, threaded wicks through their mouths, and lit them. These sea-caught “candles” were used in the North until electricity arrived.