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The legend about a scary huge monster that lives below the surface of Scotland’s Loch Ness lake is as old as time. For hundreds of years, people claimed to have seen it lurking in the depths. Sadly, thanks to modern technology, the truth behind the legend of Nessie the monster might finally be revealed. Next month, a scientist from New Zeeland will be leading an international team to Loch Ness with the mission to take samples from the water. The next step would then be to analyze the DNA in it and establish what kind of species actually live in the lake.
University of Otago professor Neil Gemmell does not believe in this legend. This is exactly why he wants to prove once and for all that it is just that, a legend. There have been numerous theories about what Nessie actually is. Some said that it is a plesiosaur with a very long neck that somehow survived extinction and hid in that lake. Others think that Nessie is in fact a sturgeon or a giant catfish. And then there are the people who strongly believe all those sightings to be hoaxes. Some have even been proven to have been so.
Unveiling the truth behind the legend of the Loch Ness monster
According to Gemmell, when creatures move around in the water, they leave traces of DNA behind in form of feathers, fragments of skin, scales and even urine. The plan is to gather about 300 such samples from different parts of the lake and at different depths. Then, to sequence it, they will use technology that’s actually meant for the human genome project.
By the end of the year, the professor hopes to have answers to this mystery. Also, a list of creatures that live in the Loch Ness lake. Apart from this, he wants to convince his kids that their dad indeed does cool thinks at his job. Like unravelling legendary mysteries that involve monsters.
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