Latest news with #RoyMackal
Yahoo
11-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Loch Ness Monster camera deployed in 1970 is pulled from water after 55 years — with eerie photos revealed
These secrets have been Loch-ed away for over half a century. An underwater camera deployed in 1970 in an attempt to capture images of the Loch Ness Monster was accidentally recovered — and it boasts some incredible photos. 'It is remarkable that the housing has kept the camera dry for the past 55 years,' Adrian Shine of the Loch Ness Project, which has been hunting for Nessie since the 1970s, told the BBC after identifying the aquatic recorder. The gadget was one of six cameras sent down into the Loch in 1970 by Chicago biologist Roy Mackal of the Loch Ness Investigation Bureau, Popular Mechanics reported. He had hoped to get definitive footage of the legendary cryptid, which has spawned thousands of so-called sightings — including a 'particularly captivating' one last month of a 'slithery mass' in the lake. The camera then lay forgotten for over a half-century until it was encountered by an autonomous marine submersible known as Boaty McBoatface, which was operated by the UK's National Oceanography Centre. While scouring the depths, McBoatface inadvertently snagged the mooring of the monster cam — nearly 600 feet down. Shine said he was impressed by the 'ingenious camera trap,' which was equipped with a built-in flash cube so four pictures could be snapped when the bait line was taken, perhaps by the so-called monster. He was also amazed that such a complex camera had managed to stay dry in its casing for all those years so far down and — most importantly — yield viable film when opened. To monster lovers' chagrin, the cam didn't capture any pics of Nessie, but the photos that were developed provided a fascinating visual map of the murky depths of Loch Ness. The film and the camera were subsequently handed over to the Loch Ness Centre, in Drumnadrochit, close to where it was recovered. Unfortunately, the existence of Nessie remains as murky as the waters in which it allegedly resides. Even die-hard monster hunter Adrian Shine remains unconvinced; he recently dismissed iconic photos of the beast as boat wakes or birds. 'Of course, there are long-necked creatures on Loch Ness — we call them swans,' the Scot scoffed.
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
In 1970, an Underwater Camera Searched for the Loch Ness Monster. It Just Surfaced—With Haunting Photos.
"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." A camera trap deployed by a Loch Ness researcher in 1970 was recently recovered by an autonomous robot. Not only was it still intact—it still had film that could be developed, and the photos show a glimpse of the murky depths of the loch. Robots like the one that found the camera are often tested in Loch Ness before going out into the open ocean. The Loch Ness Monster is right up there with Bigfoot and Mothman when it comes to famous cryptids. While there has never been any proof that Nessie exists, something dredged up from the depths of the lake may tell us more about what goes on in the dark waters she is imagined to inhabit. Hardcore Nessie enthusiasts are always watching for a sign that the existence of their beloved lake monster isn't a hoax. In 1970, University of Chicago biologist Roy Mackal of the Loch Ness Investigation Bureau deployed six cameras meant to catch any footage of Nessie in action. More than half a century later, an Autosub robot (otherwise known as Boaty McBoatface) from the UK's National Oceanography Centre (NOC) took a deep dive and got something stuck in its propeller—part of the equipment anchoring one of Mackal's cameras at a depth of 180 meters (almost 600 feet). The camera was identified by Loch Ness researcher Adrian Shine, founder of the Loch Ness Project. His organization has been tirelessly searching for signs of a monster (or some sort of less mythical beast) since the mid-1970s. The Instamatic camera was actually part of a trap, and its built-in flash cube allowed it to take four photos when activated by a bait line. Shine was impressed by how—despite being submerged for 55 years—the camera had stayed remarkably dry in its casing, even revealing viable film when opened. While they didn't capture Nessie, the photos that surfaced after the film was developed give those of us on land a glimpse of the murky depths of Loch Ness. The camera—which (along with the photos it took) is now on display in the Loch Ness Centre in Drumnadrochit, home to the Loch Ness Project—was not found in the deepest part of the lake. At a maximum depth of 230 meters (755 feet), the water could still potentially be hiding things. Many investigations have tried to find out what, if anything, might have fueled rumors that led to the notorious photo of the 'monster' and other attempts to prove Nessie's existence. A 2019 attempt at extracting the DNA of all living species in those waters, for instance, found no evidence of a prehistoric, plesiosaur-esque marine reptile. No evidence of a Greenland shark (a species that can live up to 500 years) showed up either. The suspicion that Nessie could have actually been an overgrown catfish or sturgeon was also ruled out. What a research team from New Zealand did find was DNA from European eels. While these creatures are nowhere near the enormity of the fabled Nessie, there was no way of knowing the size of those in Loch Ness. It is possible that some of them could have grown to be behemoths in the absence of much competition for food. If Nessie really is an outsized eel, that could explain the long neck—though a previous study did assert that the popular theory wasn't the answer. But the potential for monsters isn't the only reason to keep exploring. The NOC, which has been making advances in developing autonomous vehicles for 30 years, keeps testing the craft in Loch Ness regardless of whether or not something that could pass for Nessie shows up. The latest Autosubs, which had a trial run, are used for long-distance autonomous operations and mapping the ocean floor—so far, only 26% of the ocean floor has been mapped. The deepest regions of our oceans (and other large bodies of water) are alien places where unknown creatures might just be waiting to be discovered. So long as the legend of Nessie lives on, even if there is no cryptid, investigators will keep sending robots underwater to see what—if anything—might be lurking in the loch. You Might Also Like The Do's and Don'ts of Using Painter's Tape The Best Portable BBQ Grills for Cooking Anywhere Can a Smart Watch Prolong Your Life?
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Scientists Recover Underwater Camera Designed to Snap Photos of Loch Ness Monster
In 1970, a cryptid-obsessed biologist placed several cameras inside plastic trap boxes and sent them down to the depths of Scotland's Loch Ness in hopes of finally capturing compelling evidence of its storied monster — and now, it appears that one of those cameras has been recovered by sheer accident. As USA Today and other outlets report, one of the cameras deployed by University of Chicago biologist Roy Mackal some 55 years ago was discovered during a test dive of an unmanned research submersible in the famed lake in the Scottish Highlands. Specifically, the camera trap's mooring system appeared to have gotten tangled up in the propellers for the submersible, which was named, much to the chagrin of the British government, "Boaty McBoatface" by the public in a viral poll in 2016. Full of sensitive oceanographic instruments meant to study Loch Ness' unique marine climate — it sits atop the British Isles' most prominent tectonic fault, after all — and the world beyond it, Boaty McBoatface's job description almost certainly doesn't include searching for monsters. All the same, the researchers who work with the submersible, known affectionately as Boaty, were pleased with their discovery. "While this wasn't a find we expected to make," Sam Smith, a robotics engineer with the UK's National Oceanography Centre, said in a press statement, "we're happy that this piece of Nessie hunting history can be shared and perhaps at least the mystery of who left it in the loch can be solved." It seems that Smith and his team weren't quite aware of what they had their hands on when they pulled the aged but remarkably well-preserved Instamatic camera out of its thick plastic cylinder. With help from naturalist Adrian Shine — a researcher who's been studying Loch Ness for more than half a century himself — they were able to identify the famed UChicago cryptozoologist's camera. "It was an ingenious camera trap consisting of a clockwork Instamatic camera with an inbuilt flash cube, enabling four pictures to be taken when a bait line was taken," Shine said in his own press statement. "It is remarkable that the housing has kept the camera dry for the past 55 years, lying more than [426 feet] deep in Loch Ness." When researchers developed the Instamatic's film, they unfortunately didn't find any photos of Nessie, though they did recover some beautiful, eerie photos of the deep, dark lake. The government researchers subsequently turned the camera and film over to the Loch Ness Centre in the loch-straddling village of Drumnadrochit (Mackal himself passed away in 2013, meaning the camera couldn't be returned.) According to Nagina Ishaq, the center's general manager, the find provides another piece of the puzzle in the history of the "elusive beast." "We are guardians of this unique story and, as well as investing in creating an unforgettable experience for visitors, we are committed to helping continue the search and unveil the mysteries that lie underneath the waters of the famous Loch," Ishaq said, per USA Today. Indeed, it's lovely to hear of something good happening with a submersible for a change — and to know that there are people still out there searching for monsters in the deep. More on marine beasts: It Turns Out Sharks Make Noises, and Here's What They Sound Like
The Independent
31-03-2025
- Science
- The Independent
Camera trap set up to snare Nessie is discovered after more than 50 years
A robotic submersible undergoing engineering trials in Loch Ness has discovered a camera trap left by Nessie hunters more than half a century ago. The camera, which is thought to be one of the earliest attempts to catch the Loch Ness monster on film, was found about 180 metres deep in the water during trials of the National Oceanography Centre (NOC) Autosub vessel. It is believed to be one of six cameras placed there in 1970 by Professor Roy Mackal of the Loch Ness Investigation Bureau and the University of Chicago, three of which were lost in a gale in the same year. The camera was encased in clear plastic waterproof housing and was found to be in good condition, and an NOC engineer was able to develop the film. However, the loch's most famous inhabitant does not seem to have made an appearance. Adrian Shine, who founded the Loch Ness Project in the mid-1970s, helped to identify the camera as one of those placed in the water by Professor Mackal. 'It was an ingenious camera trap consisting of a clockwork Instamatic camera with an inbuilt flash cube, enabling four pictures to be taken when a bait line was taken,' Mr Shine explained. 'It is remarkable that the housing has kept the camera dry for the past 55 years, lying around 180 metres deep in Loch Ness.' The Autosub vehicle – popularly known as Boaty McBoatface – made the discovery when part of the mooring that was holding the camera system in place got caught on its propellor. The NOC has been testing its underwater robotics, including running multi-day, 24-hour, endurance tests, in Loch Ness for more than a decade. Sam Smith, of NOC's marine autonomous robotics systems (Mars) group, said: 'At 230 metres deep, Loch Ness is an ideal location to test our robotics, their sensors and systems, before they're deployed in the deep ocean to help answer the big questions we have. 'While this wasn't a find we expected to make, we're happy that this piece of Nessie-hunting history can be shared and perhaps at least the mystery of who left it in the loch can be solved.' The film, camera and its housing have been handed to the Loch Ness Centre in Drumnadrochit to allow it to be put on display as a part of the loch's Nessie-hunting history. Nagina Ishaq, the centre's manager, said she hoped people would be inspired by what could be hidden in the loch. 'It's been over 90 years since the first sighting of Nessie, since then there have been many expeditions to find the elusive beast,' she said. 'We are guardians of this unique story and, as well as investing in creating an unforgettable experience for visitors, we are committed to helping continue the search and unveil the mysteries that lie underneath the waters of the famous loch. 'We want to say a big thank to NOC for handing over the film and camera, that we believe has been hidden for over 50 years, for everyone to come and discover and be inspired by what could be hidden in the mysterious loch.' NOC's latest robotics trials in the loch involve testing two Autosub vehicles, one used for mapping seabed habitats and another used for long-range, autonomous operations. These vehicles can go down to as deep as 6,000m water depth, collecting a wide range of ocean data that it would be 'extremely difficult' to get in any other way. Mr Smith added: 'With our robots we're also helping to map and monitor marine life to understand how our actions, such as offshore renewable energy development, fishing and deep-sea mining change habitats and ecosystems. 'So the work we do here, developing the technology to help us better understand the ocean, is critical'.
