The Loch Ness monster, or Nessie for those who want to use its pet name, has been a mystery for almost a century. Ever since it was first ‘captured’ on camera in 1934, people all over the world have visited at least once the Scottish Highlands in the hope that they will catch sight of it.
But what is interesting about this creature is that there are reports that date all the way back to 565 that expose the existence of some sort of a monster near Loch Ness. Since then, more and more statements have been recorded.
DNA samples in search of the Loch Ness monster
People continued to believe in Nessie’s existence, even after it was revealed that this creature is a hoax. This is the case of a team of scientists directed by Professor Neil Gemmell that, in 2018, went to collect water samples from the Loch Ness Lake. The scientists are all from the University of Otago.
From the 250 water samples collected, each from distinct sites around the lake, the team extracted DNA that was further sequenced, examined, and compared with already existent collections of data.
The team is known to have concluded the Loch Ness monster, but are going to disclose the findings on September 5th at a press conference on the bank of the famous loch.
Loch Ness monster, Nessie, might be a giant reptile or fish
All the researchers could say is that, of four theories that could explain the sightings of Nessie, only one is the most logical. Before, Gemmell noted that the DNA sequencing might show the existence of a reptile or a large fish.
The technology the team used is fascinating. It is called ‘environmental DNA’ and is a successful method to determine what species live in various environments. This technology is also very effective in water, and this is the reason they used it for discovering the truth about the Loch Ness monster.
Until September 5th, most of us are waiting eagerly to find out the truth about the creature that might have possibly lived in the lakes of the Scottish Highlands.
