Unraveling the Mystery of Loch Ness Monster

It was on May 2nd 1933 that the Loch Ness Monster was formally said to have been sighted on the Scottish Lake. Loch means lake in Scottish and although this was not the first time that the creature was sighted but it was from here that it was given the name of monster (Stephen Wagner, 2009). Since then “Nessie”, as it has also come to be called, has become the most well known actual and real monster on earth.

Since 1933 the monster has been sighted sporadically, there have been scientific expeditions that have attempted to trace the monster, and it has become a big business in making the monster a money spinning icon to attract tourists in the small towns that surround the profound lake.

While mainstream scientists and non believers do not take the existence of the monster seriously (Joe Nickell, 1996); some evidence does exist to indicate that a large and mysterious creature lives in the depths of Loch Ness.

A number of reliable witnesses have claimed to have seen the monster, photographs exist that show the monster both below and above the surface of the water and there is some video and film footage.

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However all the collected evidence has not been conclusively proved and the actual existence of the Loch Ness Monster continues to be a mystery. Loch Ness is situated in northern Scotland and runs from south west to south east. At its deepest point it is 786 feet and is the biggest fresh water body in Britain.

It is 23 miles in length and 1 mile in breadth.

The lake is home to several varieties of fish and living organisms such as sturgeon, sticklebacks, minnows, eels, salmon, trout and other varieties of fish. Sometimes otters and seals are also spotted in the lake. In regard to the Monster’s appearance, witnesses have claimed that it has a longish neck, a head that resembles that of a horse and a back which has one or two humps. It is estimated to weigh about 2500 pounds, is of dark colour and is of about fifteen to forty feet in length.

There have been several sightings of the monster by reliable people but in the absence of conclusive evidence of its existence different theories have been put forward to substantiate on the sightings. There have been comments by sceptics that the sightings are invariably related to groups of otters, seals, large fish or ducks. Some have attempted to explain that the waves in the lake can also prove to be illusionary in giving the impression of the hump backed monster.

However those who believe in its existence have given the theory that Nessie is actually a plesiosaur from the family of dinosaurs. The plesiosaur was a large creature with a long neck and flippers that is said to have become extinct millions of years ago. It mostly lived in water, and it is believed that somehow plesiosaurs still survive and constitute sufficient numbers to breed and give birth to new ones. Several expeditions have been organized to trace the creature but there has not been a single instance of Nesssie having been sighted even once, let alone capturing it.

Otherwise there have been over a thousand sightings of the Loch Ness Monster (Mark Chorvinsky, 2009). People are known to be bad eye witnesses, more so in the case of occurrences such as this, and the only evidence that seems to be available appears to be sightings by people who are considered reliable. There are some specific photographs that have captured the monster and amongst them, the one taken by Anthony Shiels is believed to be the most clear in depicting Nessie as its neck appears a few feet above the water’s surface.

There is a motion picture by Tim Dinsdale as taken in 1960 which is also good evidence in regard to the creature, but is not fully conclusive since it shows only a dark moving object on the lake’s surface. Experts who examined the film concluded that the moving object was not a submarine or boat but a living and unidentified object. Many of the expeditions that have been organized to trace the creature have recorded several sonar readings with a big living entity in the lake which cannot be justified as any species of recognized fish.

The present status of the Loch Ness Monster is such that there is no conclusive evidence in regard to its existence. Those who are non believers have not been able to prove that it does not exist. But they have no obligation to do so and the main burden of proof rests with people who believe that it does exist. Indeed some of the available evidence in the form of eyewitness testimonies and photos is fascinating, but they are all not conclusive and hence not convincing enough (Terri Sievert, 2004). But there is no doubt that researchers, supporters and admirers will not reduce their efforts in searching for the monster.

At the same time enterprising and innovative people will also continue to exploit the immense business potential in making knick knacks related to the existence of the Loch Ness Monster.

References

Joe Nickell, Nessie Hoax Redux, march 1996, Skeptical Briefs Newsletter Mark Chorvinsky, Nessie, The Loch Ness Monster, http://www. strangemag. com/nessie. home. html, Accessed on 06. 4. 09 Stephen Wagner, What You Need to Know about The Loch Ness Monster, http://paranormal. about. com/cs/sealakemonsters/a/aa051203. htm, Accessed on 06. 4. 09 Terri Sievert, The Loch Ness Monster, 2004, Edge Books