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Legend of Loch Ness Monster Will Be Tested With DNA Samples (apnews.com)
The stories seem as tall as the lake is deep. For hundreds of years, visitors to Scotland's Loch Ness have described seeing a monster that some believe lurks in the depths. But now the legend of "Nessie" may have no place left to hide. From a report: A New Zealand scientist is leading an international team to the lake next month, where they will take samples of the murky waters and conduct DNA tests to determine what species live there. University of Otago professor Neil Gemmell says he's no believer in Nessie, but he wants to take people on an adventure and communicate some science along the way. Besides, he says, his kids think it's one of the coolest things he's ever done. One of the more far-fetched theories is that Nessie is a long-necked plesiosaur that somehow survived the period when dinosaurs became extinct. Another theory is that the monster is actually a sturgeon or giant catfish. Many believe the sightings are hoaxes or can be explained by floating logs or strong winds.
> The legend is more valuable than the truth; because you can sell the legend.
Yeah I don't know about that. I went to Loch Ness as part of a group tour and I was prepared to be inundated with Nessie this and Nessie that.
I was very pleasantly surprised when I wasn't indundated with Nessie stuff. There is a little building that I think is also an inn, with a Nessie monster display, and that's about it. The narration on board a boat tour spent far more time talking about the real history of the region than monster sighting. Really, the whole Loch Ness Monster thing seemed to be an afterthought and not nearly as important as Urquhart Castle.
And outside of that area the only time I saw Nessie-related things was solely in tourist trinket shops.
It really feels like they are not trying hard to capitalise on this legend at all.