The Loch Ness Monster has captivated the imagination of the public for decades. While many have searched long and hard for clues, it remains as much a mystery now as ever.
One expert, however, has brought a new theory to the table. She suggests that the monster may in fact be spending most of its time in a parallel universe, much like that in the popular Netflix TV series, Stranger Things.
The modern legend first appeared in May 1933 when the Inverness Courier reported that a couple had seen “an enormous animal rolling and plunging on the surface” of Loch Ness in the Scottish Highlands.
The ‘monster’ story attracted a media circus with London newspapers sending correspondents to Scotland and a £20,000 reward offered to anyone who succeeded in capturing the creature.
Interest in the beast’s existence exploded and, between scientists, investigators and tourists, there has been a near constant vigil on the lake.
In the 1960s several British universities launched sonar expeditions to the lake. Nothing conclusive was found, but in each expedition the sonar operators detected some type of large, moving underwater objects.
Enough to keep the mystery alive.
In 1975, another expedition combined sonar and underwater photography in Loch Ness. A photo was taken that, after enhancement, appeared to show what vaguely resembled the giant flipper of an aquatic animal.
Further sonar expeditions in the 1980s and 1990s resulted in more inconclusive readings.
In 2005, a team from United States-based SeaTrepid Inc performed a full deep water scan of the loch, in the hopes of finding the mysterious Nessie.
A 2007 report gained notoriety after it suggested that the giant beast could actually just be a huge frog.
But all they found was a frog – living at an astonishing 325ft deep below the water.
But as of yet, despite numerous theories being put forward, no one has been able to prove whether the monster exists or not.
Now, one paranormal investigator, Scot Ron Halliday, has come out with one of the most abstract theories yet - and it involves the Netflix nostalgic hit.
In Stranger Things, the gang of heroes face off against creatures from a pocket universe knwn as the Upside Down, and Halliday believes this could be a clue as to where Nessie disappears.
He said: “Scientists have suggested there could be other universes. And somehow our world interacts with these other worlds through portals.
"With the Loch Ness monster, people could be seeing a dinosaur that existed in the past. They may see something that looks solid but isn’t actually in our world. That can spread across a whole range of things, such as UFO sightings.”
Ron, 72, thinks our legend could be akin to that of the Duffer Brother and Dungeons And Dragons creatures such as the Demogorgon and Demodogs.
He added: “Some people are more psychic than others. They can pick up these experiences while others may not. It’s possible that some may walk into these portals without realising it, then they can see these things.
“They are having genuine experiences. In a way, this is speculation. But to my mind, it does provide an explanation to a whole range of paranormal phenomena.”
