Summary
In this episode of "Stuff You Should Know," the hosts discuss the Loch Ness monster and its history. They describe the geography of Loch Ness, which was created by an ice sheet gouging the rocky earth in Scotland 10,000 years ago. The legend of the monster dates back to 1500 years ago when the Picts carved a picture of a sea monster on a freestanding stone. The year the Loch Ness monster became part of the public consciousness was 1933, when a road was built around the shore, allowing people to drive and stare at the lake. The hosts also discuss various sightings and theories about the monster, including a story about Saint Columba, who commanded the monster to turn around and swim away in the name of God.
The hosts also discuss the efforts made to prove the existence of the Loch Ness monster. Scientists combined side scan sonar with underwater photography to capture images of the lake floor and any potential sightings of the monster. In 1975, respected scientists carried out an expedition and captured odd photographs and sonar readings that prompted attention. The Loch Ness Project spent a million pounds on a week-long exploration called Operation Deep Scan. They found three large moving targets that have never been fully explained. In 2016, researchers from Norway used side scan sonar to find something that looked like a sea monster lying at the bottom of the lake, but it turned out to be a prop from a 1970 movie.
The most famous photo of the Loch Ness Monster was taken in 1934 and was sold to the London Daily Mail by a surgeon named R. Kenneth Wilson. The photo was analyzed in 1984 and determined to be a fake, but it wasn't until 1994 when a Loch Ness Monster hunter named Aleister Boyd discovered evidence that confirmed the photo was a hoax. Boyd found an old newspaper clipping that mentioned Maurice Chambers, a man involved in the hoax, and discovered that Chambers was someone Wilson would have known. Boyd also found Christian Sperling, Duke Wetherill's stepson, who confessed to being involved in the hoax. They built a model monster onto a toy submarine and staged the photograph, which included the background and part of Loch Ness.
The Loch Ness Monster has been a subject of fascination for decades, with many theories and explanations surrounding its existence. Some believe the monster to be a giant catfish or an elephant that had escaped from a circus. Others suggest it could be a surviving plesiosaur or sauropod, but these theories are debunked due to the lack of hard evidence. In 2018, researchers took samples of environmental DNA from Loch Ness to analyze and see if any unknown life forms exist in the lake.
Overall, the podcast episode provides a comprehensive overview of the Loch Ness monster and the various efforts made to prove its existence. The hosts also discuss the history and geography of Loch Ness and the legend of the monster. They provide interesting insights into the scientific expeditions and investigations that have been conducted over the years. The episode also touches on the importance of non-profit organizations like Coed Cooperative for Education, which aims to break the cycle of poverty in Guatemala through education.
