Is a Newly Discovered Fossilized Plesiosaur the Legendary Loch Ness Monster?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the recent discovery of a fossilized plesiosaur vertebra in Loch Ness and its potential connection to the legendary Loch Ness Monster. Participants explore the significance of the find, the credibility of the discoverer, and the implications for the Loch Ness lore.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Exploratory

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants express skepticism about the significance of the fossil find, questioning whether Loch Ness is known for fossils and suggesting it could be a hoax.
  • Others propose that the discoverer, a retired scrap dealer, may have motives for fabricating the story, such as seeking attention or stirring controversy.
  • A participant mentions a documentary that suggests previous sonar sweeps have been manipulated to create illusions of the Loch Ness Monster, indicating a history of hoaxes.
  • There is speculation that local residents might benefit from the discovery by attracting tourism, leading to the idea that the fossil could have been placed in the lake intentionally.
  • Concerns are raised about the credibility of the discoverer and the motivations behind the fossil's discovery, with some suggesting that the attention it brings could be a motive for a hoax.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus; multiple competing views remain regarding the authenticity of the fossil discovery and the motivations behind it.

Contextual Notes

Unresolved assumptions include the credibility of the fossil's origin, the historical context of fossil discoveries in Loch Ness, and the motivations of the individuals involved.

Ivan Seeking
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Loch Ness has bones

I posted this thinking that finding a fossilized plesiosaur was significant. It would seem that this is not significant.


"Meanwhile, on the shores of Loch Ness in the Scottish Highlands, retired scrap dealer Gerald McSorley, who recently had a hip replaced, stumbled and fell into the water -- where his hand felt a strange object. When he brought it to a museum in Edinburgh to have it examined by experts, they told him it was the 150 million-year-old fossilized vertebrae of what was likely a plesiosaur."


http://canada.com/national/story.asp?id=D6312F80-8167-421C-A206-9C3C7F6CD03A
 
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I think he bought it over the
internet, threw it in, went out
the next day with his wife, "ac-
cidently" fell in...

Is Loch Ness really known for
it's fossil's? Has anyone ever
found any kind of fossil there?

Hoax.
 
Just watched a documentary on this and some guy did a very complete sonar sweep and found guess what ... they also fooled a few tourists into beliving they saw a nessie while they were at it.
 
There has been hundreds of hoax's over the years, but why would a retired scrap dealer buy a fossil over the net and then drop it into the lake? Why? absolutely no reason for him to do it. and just because a 150 million year old fossil has been found in loch ness doesn't mean that there is still one in there.(plesiosaur that is).
 
Andy

I've read your post over a few
times and still can't figure
out if you're joking or not.

At the risk of looking stupid
I have to say that a retired
scrap dealer has the same motive
to perpetrate a hoax as anyone
else might. He may want the
attention. He may enjoy stirring
up controversy. It may make him
feel more clever than everyone
else.

-zoob
 
I wasnt joking but what i mean is that a scrap dealer has nothing to gain, and him being scottish means that he doesn't want attention all he needs is a nice bottle of whiskey and he is happy. But the people that would gain from this are the locals that make lots of money from tourism, so maybe the locals put the fossil there and have been waiting for an outsider to find it.
 
Andy,

I went back to the story to see
if it said where McSorley came
from (Edinburgh or near the Loch)
and found something I hadn't
noticed the first time which is
that he planned to donate it
to a museum...unless someone
offered to buy it from him.

From scrap metal to scrap dino-
saurs.
 

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