Nessie

Nessie, the Loch Ness Monster, is a creature from Scottish folklore and modern popular culture said to inhabit Loch Ness, a deep freshwater loch in the Scottish Highlands. Descriptions commonly portray a large, long-necked, plesiosaur-like animal, though details vary and there is no consensus.

Historical roots extend into medieval folklore, but the modern case gained widespread attention in the 20th century after a road-side sighting in 1933 near Drumnadrochit and the publication of a photograph in 1934 known as the Surgeon's Photograph. That image is widely regarded as a hoax, and subsequent investigations suggested it depicted a model or object rather than a living animal.

Over the decades, numerous expeditions, sonar scans, and photographs have been claimed, but none have produced credible evidence of a living monster. Explanations include misidentifications of birds or large animals, waves, floating logs, optical illusions, and occasional hoaxes.

The legend has become an enduring symbol of Scottish folklore and a driver of tourism around Loch Ness, with related attractions and merchandise.

In modern science, Nessie is generally regarded as a myth or misidentification. Some recent environmental DNA studies of Loch Ness have found no evidence for a large unknown aquatic vertebrate, though researchers note limitations in ruling out rare species; the tale persists as a cultural phenomenon.