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The Hunt for the Loch Ness Monster: Sightings and Theories You Need to Know

Mythical creature, dinosaur that time forgot, or complete hoax? Here’s what we really know about Nessie, the Loch Ness Monster.

ByStephen C. George
The Surgeon's Photograph: Famous 1934 photo purported to be the Loch Ness Monster. Real or hoax?Credit: Public domain/Wikimedia Commons

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In any list of famous cryptids, you’ll find Bigfoot, of course, the Abominable Snowman/Yeti, or even the Chupacabra. But one name that always ends up near the top is the Loch Ness Monster — or Nessie, as it’s known to its friends.

For at least 1,500 years, the monster has been a part of local legend and achieved international fame in the last century or so, with hundreds of sightings reported down through the decades. But what is the Loch Ness Monster? Is there any chance it could be real, and if so, what does it look like? Let’s take a deep dive into the myths and mysteries of the Loch Ness Monster.

Loch Ness in central Scotland, beautiful, gloomy, and mysterious. (Credit: Mmartin/Shutterstock)

Mmartin/Shutterstock

As the name suggests, the creature (or creatures) is said to inhabit Loch Ness in Scotland (“loch” is the Scottish Gaelic word for a body ...

  • Stephen C. George

    Steve George is the Editorial Director of Discover Magazine, overseeing all print and digital content for the brand. He edits and writes for both the website and print magazine.

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