Shayna Mc Kinley

Loch Ness is a beautiful spot in the Scottish Highlands, surrounded by a tranquil village. But, not all is quiet and peaceful in the area. For you see, Loch Ness is rumored to be the home of the Loch Ness Monster (aka Nessie). The monster’s size has yet to be determined but it is supposed to be big enough to destroy a small boat, according to multiple eyewitnesses who described it as being massive and investigations have shown evidence of a whale-sized animal but nothing conclusive has been proven. Multiple search parties have been launched in an attempt to prove whether or not the monster truly exists. The first known expedition took place in 1934 and lasted over five weeks but no conclusive evidence was ever discovered and the most important piece of evidence (a film) was lost but viewers claimed that it was obviously a different animal. It is important to know that these expeditions, while they have slowed somewhat, have not completely stopped. For ten years the Loch Ness Phenomena Investigation Bureau worked tirelessly to prove that the monster existed by having members watch the Loch at all times and take photos and videos of all activity.. At the height of its popularity, the society had over one thousand members, the majority of whom were from the United Kingdom. It’s not entirely certain why the society disbanded but it was likely due to the lack of compelling evidence that they had come up with. Some of the former members went on to publish books about their experiences and how it had shaped their beliefs. The Acadmey of Applied Science, led by Robert Rines, made multiple expeditions to Loch Ness between 1972 and 2008. These expeditions did find some evidence that there might be not one but two Nessie’s in Loch Ness. The latest expedition led Rines to believe that Nessie was now extinct, based on the lack of sonar contact and noticeable decline in eyewitness sightings. Despite his best attempts he has yet to find any carcasses supporting his theory, although something resembling a carcass was caught on film but was not recovered. However, it should be noted that he was able to present his findings at the House of Commons in London thanks to the support of two top scientists who were impressed with the results of his first expedition. Operation Deepscan took place in 1987, with twenty-four boats and sonar equipment donated by interested parties. Although there was no physical evidence there was certainly evidence of something quite large and of unusual shape that was caught on camera, albeit rather blurry with no conclusive identification made. Some of the expedition’s sponsors took this as a sign that Nessie did indeed exist. The most recent expedicition took place in 2018. It was comprised of international scientists who did a DNA survey of Loch Ness. The results were rather conclusive, showing mostly fish and eel DNA but no unusual DNA samples were found or even of large animals such as sharks, catfish, otters, or seals. When the study was published in 2019 one of the researchers stated that this was proof that Nessie didn’t exist. However, if Nessie was truly extinct by this time, then it is possible that their DNA would not have shown up. A recent discovery of plesiosaur fossils in Morrocco have led scientists to conclude that while it is possible that one might have lived in Loch Ness, it is highly unlikely as they supposedly died out a very long time ago. Is is possible that one survived at the bottom of Loch Ness and was somehow able to reproduce? Perhaps, if one did, it has long since evolved into something else, something far more capable of surviving in a new environment. While some might think that Nessie is a recent monster that’s not at all true. The first documented sighting happened in 565 A.D. with some sightings reported before then but never officially documented. It wasn’t until 1933 that the sightings began to truly take off, luring in scientists and tourists which has contributed over eighty million in revenue to Scotland annually. There have been many different theories as to what kind of animal Nessie truly is. Some of have theorized that they are actually a plesiosaur, an extinct long-necked aquatic reptile. The biggest problem with that theory is that they actually went extinct over sixty-five million years ago and Loch Ness was frozen over at that point in time. Some think that it’s merely a giant eel and still others a long-necked newt or an invertebrate (an animal lacking a backbone). Although some believe Nessie is now extinct there are still sightings of them going on today, the most recent one on August 27 by a local resident. Although, to be fair, there haven’t really been any actual sightings but rather unusual phenomenon being witnessed, such as waves in the water when there shouldn’t be any. But how did Nessie become so popular? The secret to that popularity and, by extent, it’s consideration as a legitimate monster was due in part to Dr. Constance Whyte, who gathered several eyewitness accounts and used sketches to publish her book in the 1950s. This book is what finally prompted the scientific community to consider Nessie as a legitimate scientific discovery. Not long afterward is when the Loch Ness Investigaiton Bureau came into being. Loch Ness itself certainly contributes to the legend, being the biggest body of water in the United Kingdom. Another interesting fact is that the Loch doesn’t freeze since it is so deep that warm water will rise to the surface, giving off steam on really cold days. These occurrences definitely don’t hurt the legend. Fun fact, the heat coming off of the steam is the equivalent of burning two millions pounds of coal. The most famous Loch Ness hunter is Steve Feltham, who has spent over thirty years searching for Nessie. His search began in 1991 when, after a visit to Loch Ness, he sold his house and dumped his girlfriend and now lives in a van near the Loch. He has a Facebook page and several devoted followers who help him continue his search. It should be noted, however, that he doesn’t really believe that Nessie is an extraordinary creature but, rather, an overly large catfish. He was named Ambassador of the Year and given a tourism award, and also appeared in a BBC documentary. Going back as far as 1934 Nessie has been portrayed in various media outlets, including books and films. Interestingly enough, Nnessie is rarely portraryed as dangerous but is usually an ambigious creature, that doesn’t try to harm anyone but rather wants to be left alone. Some versions of Nessie’s origins include everything from being an ancient species to having alien organs. Nessie is typically portrayed with a long neck and the body of a whale. Sometimes they have a tail and flippers but don’t at other times. It really just depends on the opinion of whoever is in charge of describing the monster or what people want to see but most agree on the long neck. More questions about Nessie include whether or not they need to breathe air or whether they can survive on water alone. Is there a genetic mutation that allows Nessie to breathe without having to surface or are there underwater caves that they can visit, negating the need for them to surface? Regardless of Nessie’s appearance, it s highly doubtful that it is still the same monster seen back in 565 A.D. No animal is recorded as living that long which leads to further questions such as how Nessie reproduces and why only one monster is ever seen at a time. It is part of why scientists are skeptical about Nessie’s existence and why it is so intriguing. Another intriguing thing is the amount of sightings and photographs. While some have been dismissed as fake, surely not all of those were faked. Back when Nessie was first spotted, it is highly unlikely that the monks were lying and it’s even more unlikely that every single person who saw Nessie was lying about it. Thousands of people who aren’t even connected coming up with the same description? Beyond doubtful, another reason why scientists haven’t completely given up on Nessie yet. Are all of the photographs faked? Are any of them faked? Could the scientific community be actively trying to deny the existence of Nessie in order to prevent us from learning a horirfic truth that we aren’t ready to learn yet? It’s doubtful that Nessie is from outer space but another dimension certainly is possible, with Loch Ness being the portal. Only time will tell. Only time will reveal the truth about Nessie but, some believe that there are some mysteries that should never be solved. Perhaps it is for the best if we never know. Either way, the next time you go to Scotland, stop by Loch Ness and say hello to Nessie!