There has been much speculation about the Loch Ness Monster since 1933, when the idea of a monster living in the lake was distributed to members of the public.
However, it is believed that there have been sightings of the creature from as early as the year 565. Although there have been photographs of what could potentially be an unknown creature, there is little evidence to suggest that it really exists.
Previous Sightings
Many sightings of this legendary creature have eventually led to nothing, but that hasn’t put an end to the amount of speculation which occurs around the Loch Ness in the Scottish Highlands.
Among the first sightings of the Loch Ness Monster was an eel. The monster, also known as Nessie, is thought to resemble an eel-like creature, so the locals thought they had finally discovered the true identity when an eel was spotted.
The oversized eel, which was spotted in 1856, turned out to be a large version of the eels known to be very common in the lakes of Northern Scotland.
In 1979, it was suggested that the monster was somewhat like an elephant living in the water. This was based on photographs which were released, showing the animal to have a trunk sticking out of the water.
The Public Believed it Had Been Discovered
Over the years, the media has been very successful in fooling the public into thinking that the Loch Ness Monster has been found.
A group of zoologists in 1972 claimed to have discovered the creature, but it was later proven to be a hoax.
More recently, a documentary which was broadcast in 2004 showed footage of a creature in the loch. The producers had gone so far as to create a model of the monster in order to make it more realistic to viewers.
In the last few months, online sources claim that street view cameras have spotted Nessie and that they have sufficient evidence the creature exists. However, there is still no scientific evidence to prove that the Loch Ness Monster is an actual creature in existence.
Betting on the Discovery of the Loch Ness Monster by 2020
People have varying views on the Loch Ness Monster.
Some believe that it will be discovered very soon, and with the advances in modern technology, that shouldn’t be very difficult to do over the next few years.
However, others believe that Nessie is purely a mythical creature, and since there has been no substantial proof of its existence for hundreds of years, the creature is unlikely to ever be discovered.
Paddy Power currently has a special bet open, which allows users to bet on whether they believe the monster will be discovered by 2020.
In order to win money from the bet, New Scientist magazine must confirm the existence of the Loch Ness Monster before 2020.
You can bet on the existence of the creature up until July 26th 2015 at 10pm.