An Oxford Professor claims to have solved the mystery of the
Yeti, see: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-24565282
. Prof. Bryan Sykes has done a DNA analysis on hairs collected for him by local
people which they say are from Yeti coats. The results are that the hairs come
from an unknown species of bear closely related to the modern polar bear. Sykes
has a book coming out soon and a TV series about this starts on Sunday, see: http://www.channel4.com/programmes/bigfoot-files;
I shall watch the programme with interest and may write a review.
The Yeti, or Abominable Snowman, is said to be a myth,
however there are many very credible eyewitness accounts of sightings of the
beast; for example, the mountaineer and explorer Reinhold Messner. Footprints
of the Yeti are regularly found and many have been photographed and cast. Most
people who encounter the Yeti don't describe it as a bear, but rather a
primate. It is a huge ape-like creature, usually standing upright on two legs like
a human being. Bears can walk on their hind legs for short periods, but they
look very different to primates when they do so. The Yeti has a thick coat of
fur all over its body, sometimes this is described as white, sometimes brown.
It's possible the colour of its fur changes with the seasons, as many other
animals' do; white in winter to give it camouflage in snowy terrain. All in all,
the Yeti is similar to Bigfoot, or the Sasquatch, of North America .
There are many other primates in the world which can be described as
"cryptids", unknown animals. There are even professional
organizations whose job it is to track them down, like the Centre for Fortean Zoology,
see: http://www.cfz.org.uk/ (Also see the links
column on main HPANWO site) Prof. Sykes has proven that the hairs he was given
are not real Yeti hairs, therefore the people who collected them obviously made
a mistake; but it is far too soon to say that the mystery of the Yeti is now over.
This new result does not mean that we should ignore the multiple eyewitness
sightings that contradict Prof. Sykes conclusion.
See here for a HPANWO
Radio special of Cryptozoology: http://hpanwo-radio.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/programme-51-podcast-cryptozoology.html.
2 comments:
Just watched the second part of The Bigfoot Files. Very disappointed that this has slowly revealed itself as a hit-piece. The vet comes out with some all-too-familiar remarks to the effect of - 'as the bright, white light of 'science' is shone onto the murky world of the conspiracy theorist, a rational explanation starts to emerge'. The Sasquatch 'true-believers' are slowly but surely portrayed as sad individuals who need sympathy, help and the vet even tries some amateur psychoanalysis.
It's a shame. I was suckered in by the first episode thinking that it could be a proper investigation. Lol. Should've known better.
I agree, Herbie. Just seen it myself and it was a debunker from the start. I felt no suspense over the DNA test some the hair; if it had come back as an "unknown primate" then the programme would not have been broadcast.
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