Scientists May Have Cracked The Myth Of The Loch Ness Monster
Much like Bigfoot, the legend of the Loch Ness Monster has been circulating for decades, with many still convinced of its existence. Recently, scientists took 250 water samples from Loch Ness in the Scottish Highland, analyzing more than 500 million DNA sequences.
Unfortunately, for firm believers, researchers have concluded the existence of a Jurassic-age reptile residing in Loch Ness is highly unlikely. While other theories suppose that the mysterious creature is a giant catfish or shark, they have also been debunked, as no DNA of either species was discovered.
However, Professor Neil Gemmell, of the University of Otago in New Zealand, reported that the "sheer volume of the DNA samples found "was a surprise." In the end, it was discovered that one or two eels in Loch Ness might have grown to an enormous size, resulting in the alleged sightings.
Professor Gemmell explains: "There is a very significant amount of eel DNA. Eels are very plentiful in Loch Ness. Our data doesn't reveal their size, but the sheer quantity of the material says that we can't discount the possibility that there may be giant eels in Loch Ness."
However, Gemmell, who led the research, admits that there was "a lot of uncertainty," and that the DNA samples that were taken could be compared to "a thimble taken from a large body of water."
At the end of the day, Professor Gemmell notes that "The absence of evidence isn't necessarily evidence of absence," and that believers aren't necessarily wrong until proven otherwise. This is great news for Scotland, whose economy greatly benefits from the tourism associated with the Loch Ness Monster.
