<h2 class=" eplus-wrapper"><strong>Eel reveal </strong></h2>

In 1934, Hugh Grey was riding his motorcycle past Loch Ness in the dead of night. Then, he spotted a huge, flippered creature retreating into the waters.

A blurry snapshot, captured by Grey, was published on the front page of a Scottish newspaper. Soon, a search party was launched. 

Now, a team of scientists from New Zealand say they may have solved the Loch Ness mystery. The researchers took DNADeoxyribonucleic acid is the material in an organism that carries genetic information. from 250 water samples from the Scottish loch, hoping to learn exactly what creatures might live there. 

They did not find an ancient reptile. They did not find a big shark. What they did find was a lot of eel DNA.

"There may be giant eels in Loch Ness," said Professor Neil Gemmell, who led the research. After all, the slender giant moray eel can grow 13 feet long.

Legends of a great Scottish monster have existed for centuriesHundreds of years.. And even after a peak in the 1930s, the sightings never completely died down. Already this year, there have been four separate encounters.

Many wild theories exist about the identity of the monster: it could be a sea dinosaur called a plesiosaur; a huge fish; a wandering Greenland shark; or even swimming elephants. 

Why has the legend persisted? Some psychologists say that the story fulfils a human need to reach beyond the dullness of ordinary life. Scotland has Nessie, but in other parts of the world there is the Himalayan yeti and the giant anaconda of South America.

In 2022, every corner of the world has been discovered and mapped. So, we long for a time of explorers, when the world was still full of mystery. 

Or perhaps, say others, these beasts reflect the hidden monsters inside our minds. Indeed, for many, it is fitting that Nessie might be a giant serpent: subtle and shape-shifting, always slipping out of our grasp. 

Yes: The vast majority of monster sightings are proven fakes and hoaxes. We should not lose sight of common sense - Nessie is more likely a reflection in the water or an eel than a huge beast. 

No: Believing in myths and legends is part of being human - we all have a desire within us for mystery and excitement beyond the everyday world. Moreover, for all we know, Nessie could actually exist. 

Or... It may not be entirely rational, but it is simply more fun to search for beasts than to sit back and dismiss them. And it is good for business too - Nessie is worth £41m a year to Scotland's economy. 

DNA - Deoxyribonucleic acid is the material in an organism that carries genetic information.

Centuries - Hundreds of years.