There is still hope for Nessie! The Loch Ness Monster is NOT just another giant eel, claims a mathematician

Whether an ancient hoax or a true prehistoric relative, the Loch Ness Monster has been a subject of fascination for scientists and fantasy enthusiasts since 1933.

Now a data analyst has put to rest one of the most popular theories after claiming that if Nessie exists, it is not a giant eel.

Using catch data, Floe Foxon calculated the probability of the occurrence of a European eel over six meters in length in the Scottish lake.

Although it appears to be “essentially zero,” he admitted that “if it’s real, it might be an eel, but not a very big one.”

Length distributions for European eels caught in Loch Ness (left) and graph showing the probability of finding an eel at least as long as L in Loch Ness (right).

Over the years, experts have argued that Nessie sightings were simply the result of naturally occurring bubbles or a “collective illusion” inspired by dinosaur finds.

Dinosaur fossils found in freshwater bodies similar to Loch Ness that resemble the suspected animal indicate that it lived 66 million years ago.

In 2019, Professor Neil Gemmell from the University of Otago conducted a comprehensive DNA study of the infamous monster’s homeland using 250 water samples.

His team looked for tiny genetic remnants left behind by life in Loch Ness and used them to compile a detailed list of all the creatures that inhabit the waters.

They identified 15 different species of fish and 3,000 species of bacteria, but found no evidence of plesiosaurs – a prehistoric marine reptile linked to Nessie.

The researchers also found no evidence of large fish such as sturgeon, catfish and Greenland sharks, but did find a “highly significant amount of eel DNA”.

Professor Gemmell said: “Eels are very numerous in Loch Ness, with eel DNA found at almost every site sampled – there are many.

“Our data doesn’t show how big they are, but the sheer volume of material means we can’t rule out the possibility of giant eels in Loch Ness.

“As such, we cannot rule out the possibility that what people see and believe to be the Loch Ness monster could be a giant eel.”

In 2019, Professor Neil Gemmell (pictured) conducted a comprehensive DNA study of Loch Ness using 250 water samples. His team looked for tiny genetic remnants left behind by life and compiled a detailed list of all the creatures that inhabit the waters.

European eels, or Anguilla anguilla (pictured), usually reach between 60 and 80 cm in length, but exceptions have been noted

European eel or Anguilla anguillausually grows to between 60 and 80 cm, but exceptions have been noted.

In his new study, Mr. Foxon that there are more than 8,000 eels in Loch Ness at any one time.

Based on this number, the chance of finding an eel about 30 cm long is about one in 50,000.

But the chance of finding an eel over six meters long is “practically zero”.

This suggests that if Nessie exists, it’s probably not just another giant eel, Foxon said.

“Some eels may account for alleged sightings of fairly large animals on the surface of the lake,” he wrote.

“In a few generations you can expect an eel to be a meter long. However, this is not quite the ‘monster’ that is set.’

Mr. Foxon, who studied physics at Nottingham University but now lives in Pennsylvania, concludes that sightings of the Loch Ness Monster can be explained by “Wave phenomena” or “the occasional stray mammal”.

The scientist’s calculations, along with a similar study on Bigfoot, were published on bioRxiv as a preprint pending peer review.

Bigfoot, or “Sasquatch,” is a species of hairy hominid not yet recognized by science that stands over 6 feet tall and is said to roam the United States and Canada.

Mr. Foxon used statistical models to see if there were any correlations between Bigfoot sightings (left) and the size of the black bear population in each state and province of North America. Right: Maps showing the number of Sasquatch reports (top) and black bear populations (bottom) in the United States and Canada

Sightings have been linked to misidentification of the American black bear. Ursus americanusand Mr. Foxon wanted to test the plausibility of this theory.

He used statistical models to see if there were any correlations between Bigfoot sightings and the size of the black bear population in each state and province of North America.

This showed that one sighting could be expected for every 900 bears in a given region, lending weight to the misidentification theory.

“After all, if Bigfoot is there, there can be many bears,” he wrote.

WAS THE LOCH NESS MONSTER EVER REALLY DISCOVERED?

The first reported sighting of the monster is thought to have been made in 565 AD by the Irish missionary St Columba, when he encountered a giant beast in the River Ness.

Since then, more than 1,000 sightings have been registered.

Many believers in the Loch Ness Monster believe that it may be related to plesiosaurs, prehistoric marine reptiles.

However, many believe that the sightings are hoaxes or genuine misunderstandings.

One of the most famous sightings is a photograph taken by Colonel Robert Kenneth Wilson in 1934 and published in the Daily Mail.

Dr. Wilson, a leading gynecologist in London, did not want his name associated with the photograph, so it became known as “The Surgeon’s Photograph”.

It was later revealed to be a hoax by one of the contestants, Chris Spurling, who revealed on his deathbed that the photos were staged.

A famous sighting was made in 2001 by photographer James Gray and his friend Peter Levings while fishing in the sea.

Other sightings include the 2001 photo of James Gray when he and his friend Peter Levings were fishing the sea.

But no one has ever come up with a satisfactory explanation for the sightings – although “Nessie expert” Steve Feltham, who has been watching the sea for 24 years, said he thought it was actually a giant Welsh catfish, native on waters near the Baltic Sea. Sea Sea and Caspian Sea in Europe.

An online register of more than 1,000 Nessie sightings, compiled by Mr. Campbell, the man behind the official Loch Ness Monster Fan Club, is available at www.lochnesssightings.com.’