Our world is teeming with mysterious creatures, some real, some derived from folklore. One such story is the tale of the Loch Ness monster living under the serene water of Loch Ness Lake. Known as Nessie, the story goes back to the year 565. Scientists have devised a new camera to look into the lake’s depths. Were they looking for the monster? The answer is a bit more complicated, just like the first visual evidence was published in 1934.
Modern-Day Cameras at Loch Ness
In a video published by the University of Aberdeen, a group of engineers and scientists describe their creation of a state-of-the-art holographic camera that can produce holographic images. The camera, or weeHoloCam, can produce thousands of images in one dive. The device utilizes various artificial intelligence to recognize the subjects of the images.
But did the camera find the monster? Well, no. While there are myths and legends around the lake, the main aim is to study the marine life in the lake water.
According to Dr Thangavel Thevar, this is the first time a holographic camera has been used in fresh waters, as the device was largely limited to the ocean. “We lowered the camera to around 200 meters and were able to see lots of interesting particles which, by working with biologists, should be able to give us more information about the biodiversity of Loch Ness,” he said in the video. Through this experiment, the scientists hope to discover the diversity in marine life, especially between fresh and salt water. Later, Professor John Watson said the camera was not to look for Nessie. However, he joked, “If the camera comes back with teeth marks on it, we’ll publish that.”
The Famous Photo of The Loch Ness Monster
Photography’s history is filled with instances where falsified or manipulated images have created a row. From 1855’s Shadow of the Valley of Death by Roger Fenton to an alleged image of Bigfoot by Roger Patterson, there are plenty of famous hoaxes. However, one that often is quoted today is the Loch Ness monster.
The story takes place in 1934, when the Daily Mail published an image of the Nessie. Colonel Robert Wilson, a respected London-based doctor, captured the image while driving up to Inverness, Scotland. Many viewers were skeptical but did not question the image’s veracity. After all, why would the doctor fake something?
It wasn’t until 60 years later that David Martin and Alastair Boyd, part of a project studying the lake’s biodiversity, saw the photograph again from a 1975 newspaper clipping. Soon, they discovered the image was part of a great hoax. Martin and Boyd found that Marmaduke Wetherell, a filmmaker and big-game hunter, created the image out of revenge. He was insulted by how the Daily Mail treated him after the hippo foot fiasco. So, he employed his son, Ian Wetherell, and his stepson, Christian Spurling, in a plot. “All right,” he allegedly told Ian, 21 then. “We’ll give them their monster.” Spurling created a model of the monster using his toy submarine. Then Wetherell and Ian drove to Loch Ness to take an image. The picture was sent to their friend, a credible source, Col. Wilson, who sold it to the newspaper.
While AI photos create a row over what’s real or not, stories like Marmaduke’s prove that fabrication can go beyond digital manipulation. While a camera captures what it sees, sometimes, it transcends the boundaries of reality.