“The Loch Ness Monster is a real, living creature inhabiting Loch Ness in Scotland.”

A scientific survey of Loch Ness DNA in 2019 found no traces of 'monster DNA' to support the legend. The researchers did, however, find a lot of eel DNA and couldn't rule out a theory that overgrown eels are responsible for sightings. Loch Ness is also low in nutrients and unlikely to support a large unknown predator species like a massive ancient reptile.

According to Tim Coulson, a professor of Zoology from Oxford University, it is a simple “biological impossibility” for the Loch Ness Monster to exist, and so it doesn't. He dismisses sightings, photos, and videos as misidentifications or hoaxes, noting the lack of skeletal remains or captured specimens despite decades of searching.

Following analysis of over 500 million DNA sequences taken from samples of water from the loch, it can be ruled out that Nessie is any type of reptile or a giant fish. However, the idea that Nessie is a giant eel remains in question. Gemmell explained that 'there's no shark DNA in Loch Ness based on our sampling. There is also no catfish DNA in Loch Ness based on our sampling. We can't find any evidence of sturgeon either. There is a very significant amount of eel DNA.'

While there have been numerous reported sightings, scientific investigations have not found conclusive evidence of a large unknown creature in Loch Ness. The 2018 DNA survey found no reptilian DNA but did detect high amounts of eel DNA, leading to speculation about giant eels, though the odds of spotting very large eels are 'virtually zero'.

Scientists are quite sure that there's no such thing as the Loch Ness Monster, as decades of investigation have shown that a significant percentage of classic monster sightings can be explained as hoaxes or confused encounters with known animals or phenomena. Virtually all photographic 'evidence' has been explained or dismissed, and ecological problems are attached to the supposed existence of various monsters.

The team took well over 200 one litre samples of water from throughout the loch – including the surface and deep water – and compared them with 36 samples from five 'monster-free' lochs nearby. Their census provides a list of all the species that call Loch Ness home – from bacteria to plants and animals. The study detected over 500m individual organisms and 3,000 species. According to Neil Gemmill of University of Otago in New Zealand, who led the study, there are no DNA sequence matches for shark, catfish, or sturgeon.

Gemmell said to the media: 'We can't find any evidence of a creature that's remotely related to [a Jurassic-age reptile] in our environmental-DNA sequence data. So, sorry, I don't think the plesiosaur idea holds up based on the data that we have obtained.' However, the study did discover many additional species living there, including the possibility of one aquatic giant.

A gathering of amateur sleuths at Scotland's Loch Ness in August 2023 failed to capture any direct evidence of the fabled cryptid, though it did reveal 'four mysterious and previously unheard loud noises from the depths of the loch,' and a 'giant shadow' moving just beneath the surface spotted on camera. An earlier e-DNA study ruled out the presence of any huge or prehistoric animals but identified plenty of eels.

As technology has provided more ways to detect the monster, mounting evidence that the Loch Ness monster does not actually exist (or a lack of evidence of its existence) has not deterred the creature's "true believers" from abandoning their hope that Nessie is real. Most notably, in recent studies, researchers found a significant amount of eel DNA in water samples, which has led some to propose that the legendary creature could be a giant eel.

By analyzing soil, water, and even air samples, genomic sequencing can reveal an accurate, detailed picture of all the species found there. In a word…no. In fact, the survey found no reptile DNA of any kind. But it did accurately identify dozens of other species: frogs, toads, ducks, all 13 species of fish known to live in the loch—and plenty of cattle, dog, and human DNA besides.

The scientific evidence gained to date is basically inconclusive, as it has not proven categorically that the monster does not exist, but has only provided some pieces of evidence that may indicate something large does live in Loch Ness. The strongest evidence that Nessie is in fact down there comes from the unexplained sonar contacts made over the years, which have been remarkably consistent.

Scientists have a new theory that Scotland's Loch Ness monster could be a really large eel. They used a new water sampling technique in Loch Ness, a 23 mile lake, and found evidence of a very large eel. After a year of study, the team said they found over 3,000 species in the lake, but no trace of a monster.

Environmental DNA (eDNA) surveys are a well-established scientific technique for detecting organisms in aquatic environments by analyzing genetic material shed into water. The Loch Ness eDNA study, led by Neil Gemmell and published in 2018, was one of the most comprehensive surveys of the loch's biodiversity to date, analyzing over 500 million DNA sequences from water samples. While the study ruled out large exotic fish and reptiles, critics have noted that the sampling strategy—with limited deep-water samples and a single time point—may not have been sufficient to detect a rare, large creature if one existed.

The development of environmental DNA (eDNA) collection allows for genomic sequencing of tiny scraps of DNA left behind by creatures in their habitat, providing an accurate picture of all species present. This method was applied to Loch Ness to investigate the possibility of a cryptid, such as the Loch Ness Monster, leaving molecular traces of its presence.

Adrian Shine is semi-retired from the Loch Ness Project after 52 years of research. He now believes the deep Caledonian Canal running through the body of water creates an illusion. 'The sightings are caused by ship wakes. Here they develop this multi-humped form, and that’s what people often see,' he told The Sun in January.

Researchers analyzing the biodiversity of Loch Ness are unable to rule out the existence of the Loch Ness Monster. Prof. Gemmell says while the full details will be released at a later stage one of the theories 'might' be correct. 'We've tested each one of the main monster hypotheses and three of them we can probably say aren't right and one of them might be.'

The eDNA survey had only failed to eliminate giant eels as a monster candidate as giant eels could have been present. However, for eDNA testing to detect creatures properly there would have to be such testing throughout Loch Ness on a quarterly basis over probably at least two years, and probably have close to 350 to 450 sampling points at five or six different consistent depths. Nothing was taken way down deep, and there probably should have been.

On March 5, the Loch Ness Centre in Scotland said the Loch Ness monster was spotted emerging from the depths of the lake near Dores Beach, marking the first sighting of the mysterious creature this year. A witness reported seeing a large, dark mass moving beneath the calm, still waters of the loch. After review, the Loch Ness Centre agreed that this was likely the mysterious creature.

A potential new sighting of the elusive Loch Ness Monster has captured the imagination of locals and visitors alike, as part of the creature’s body was reportedly seen emerging from beneath the water at Dores Beach. Our previous collaborations with the University of Aberdeen and Loch Ness Exploration allowed us to advance our research efforts significantly, and this potential sighting is a reminder that the mystery of Loch Ness is far from solved.

In the spring of 2025, a scientific mission known as Project Deepcan 2 returned to Loch Ness with advanced tools, including wide-range sonar arrays, autonomous underwater drones, and high-resolution thermal imaging systems. On the fourth day, a sonar operator monitoring the northern trench noticed anomalous signals, and the data showed a 'giant biological shadow moving on the deep lake bed.'

In this episode, we examine the earliest recorded sightings dating back to the sixth century, the infamous 1933 report that launched the modern Loch Ness frenzy, famous photographs and films that shaped public belief, underwater searches using submarines, and modern scientific explanations including environmental DNA research.