Loch Ness: Well known misinformation, little known truths

During the 1930s, the global mass media decided that the Loch Ness Monster existed only as a persistent hoax, and that view entered also into such authoritative sources as encyclopedias, while genuinely scientific publications had nothing to say about it. That has changed hardly at all; scientifically credentialed writers and pundits have not kept themselves up-to-date as to the evidence.

During the second half of the 20^th century, conclusive evidence came to show that there is a population of large, deep-dwelling animals in Loch Ness, animals whose place in the Tree of Life remains to be established since no specimen or authentic DNA have yet been obtained.

The evidence of film, sonar observations, and underwater photographs are all consistent, however, with thousands of reliable eyewitness testimonies [1].

That evidence was accumulated by the insights, efforts, and fieldwork of many people, most notably Constance Whyte (1957>) [2], Tim Dinsdale (1960>) [3], David James's Loch Ness investigation (1970s), and the teams led by Robert Rines (1970s >) [4].

Yet in 2024, a book intended for “young adults” was titled Loch Ness Uncovered: Media, Misinformation, and the Greatest Monster Hoax of All Time (by Rebecca Siegel, Astra Young Readers, 23 April 2024).

The book contains innumerable errors of fact as well as logic, but nothing more is needed to completely discredit it than to point out that it mentions neither Whyte or Dinsdale, and that the chapter about Robert Rines is entirely misleading. It is a disgrace to its author and publisher.

************************************************************************************************************

[1] For a thoroughly reliable narrative account, see Nicholas Witchell, Loch Ness Story, Terence Dalton, 1974); and many later and updated editions from various publishers

[2] Constance Whyte, More than a Legend, Hamish Hamilton, 1957; and later updated editions

[3] Tim Dinsdale, Loch Ness Monster, Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1961; and many later updated editions from various publishers; as well as other books on related topics

[4] Rines established the Academy of Applied Science (https://www.aas-world.org), which has a number of successful programs directed particularly at potential young scientists