The Case Against Certainty: teacher key

Bigfoot and the Loch Ness Monster, grade 12 edition, written for 12th grade and up. Two of the best known unproven creatures, Bigfoot and the Loch Ness monster, have been studied with films, hair tests, sonar and DNA. The record shows what has been claimed, what has been checked and what remains open.

Read the book. Print this page for the key.

Questions and answers

1. What did the 2017 Lindqvist team conclude about the eight hairs said to be from the Yeti?
   • They came from bears of the Himalayas (answer)
   • They came from an unknown ape
   • They came from horses
2. When did the modern Nessie story begin?
   • In 1958
   • In 1933 (answer)
   • In 1987
3. What did the Loch Ness eDNA survey find about eels?
   • Eel DNA was missing
   • Eel DNA turned up in nearly every sample (answer)
   • Only giant eels were found
4. How did the 1933 hippo-foot tracks affect inquiry at Loch Ness?
   • It tainted the monster's image and discouraged serious investigation (answer)
   • It showed where the monster lived
   • It made the loch deeper
5. What does "preliminary" mean for the 2014 polar-bear result?
   • Final and certain
   • Early and uncertain (answer)
   • Secret
6. What would support an animal in Loch Ness?
   • More film props
   • Bones, carcasses, feeding signs or droppings (answer)
   • Louder sonar

Words

• preliminary: early, uncertain
• authenticated: confirmed genuine
• sonar: sound that finds
• folklore: traditional stories
• contamination: unwanted traces
• hoofed: having hooves