AYESHA RASCOE, HOST:
In the depths of Loch Ness in Scotland, they've made a startling discovery. And no, they didn't find the Loch Ness Monster, but they did discover a camera. It's believed it was set up 55 years ago by a group called the Loch Ness Investigation Bureau. The Bureau hoped that underwater photography would prove that Nessie exists. Joining us to discuss the discovery is Adrian Shine. He lives beside Loch Ness and has been researching it for decades. Welcome to the program.
ADRIAN SHINE: Hello.
RASCOE: You identified this camera. Can you tell us more about how it was found?
SHINE: Yes. There was a test going on with an AUV. That's an autonomous underwater vehicle. And this particular one was run by our national oceanographic institute. And basically, it got caught up in what was left of a mooring for this camera, and so when it was retrieved, up came the camera as well.
RASCOE: And how did the camera operate?
SHINE: OK. Well, it was one of six built by Professor Mackal of Chicago University. And each one of these little Perspex cylinders contained an Instamatic camera, which was an old film camera which was clockwork. And so you wound it up, and all you had to do was press the shutter, and it would fire without you having to wind the film on, which was a bigger mechanical process. The little camera, rudimentary as it was, would do the whole job apart from pressing the shutter. And so there was an external bait line running to a little magnet which, when pulled away from the face of the Perspex cylinder, would close a switch, and a solenoid would pull a lever and operate the shutter.
RASCOE: Did the camera have any pictures of Nessie on it, the one that you guys found?
SHINE: I'm afraid not, or I think you'd have heard about it by now.
RASCOE: (Laughter).
SHINE: I suspect that pictures were taken as the gale which destroyed the mooring developed. So three of the cameras were lost.
RASCOE: It's been more than 90 years since the Loch Ness Monster was first, you know, quote-unquote, "spotted." What do you think the enduring appeal is of this story, this legend of the Loch Ness Monster?
SHINE: I think there are two aspects to it. To begin with, you've got it reduced as a sort of Santa status for children, and at the same time, it's a very good silly-season story from the media. The media have an immense proprietorial interest in the Loch Ness Monster. But from the general point of view, I think it's an accessible idea. Anything you see on Loch Ness that you do not recognize will be your Nessie that day.
RASCOE: (Laughter) That's Adrian Shine of the Loch Ness Project and author of "A Natural History Of Sea Serpents." Thank you so much for joining us.
SHINE: Thank you.
(SOUNDBITE OF DOUGIE MACLEAN'S "LOCH NESS") Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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