Nearly 80 years ago, legend came to life once more with the first modern ?sighting? of the Loch Ness Monster, colloquially known as ?Nessie.? Is the beast real? A centuries-old hoax? The product of our overactive imaginations (and our longing for a lost age)? Time will tell. In the meantime, these links offer a tour of the history, controversy, and legend.
What about that infamous 1934 photo of Nessie’s head and neck stretching out of the water? It took over 60 years for the shot to be definitively revealed as a hoax. This article explains the motivation (believe it or not, revenge!) for the set-up.
A 2003 expedition by BBC filmmakers swept the depths of Loch Ness with sonar, but didn’t uncover anything even suggesting Nessie’s existence. This BBC summary article concludes that the absence of any findings was proof that the legend was the product of our imaginations.
Science hasn’t yet uncovered proof of Nessie’s existence, but many people firmly believe in her presence in the lake?based on their own experience. From PBS NOVA, these audio interviews with alleged sighters?locals, some of whom have lived close to the lake for years?are intriguing and entertaining.
Monster or no monster, Loch Ness is an extremely interesting place from a geographical perspective. How could an inland lake, created 10,000 years ago, even possibly harbour an ancient creature? This National Geographic video explains more.