By Cat DiStasio

Electricity runs the world we live in -- but we often overlook the fact that our own bodies generate quite a bit of energy just by doing what we do. This has led engineers and designers to create a wide array of human-powered gadgets that are as creative as they are fascinating. Many are developed as a response to needs in developing nations , where the grid is unreliable or expensive, but others come about purely as convenient answers to First World predicaments . You'll be amazed to learn what the human body can do, whether it's generating electricity for light simply by grabbing hold of a flashlight or making a sweet winter beanie while kicking back with a good book.