11 Creepy Paranormal Phenomena Debunked By Science

4. Bigfoot

What’s Really Going On: Hoaxes And Misidentification

Bigfoot, Sasquatch, Yeti, The Abominable Snowman – it would seem that a great number of disparate cultures have a common myth of a giant, bipedal primate roaming the wildest, remotest parts of the planet.

So is there anything in it? There have been countless sightings, blurry photographs and wild theories from an army of Bigfoot believers over the years. Many sightings are probably made in good faith, but are largely down to a misidentification of a mangy or juvenile bear. As well as these honest mistakes, there have also been countless hoaxes, with everything from digitally altered photographs to a man in a gorilla suit, making it difficult to simply believe everything you hear about this enigmatic beast.

Many believers will provide a hypothesis that Gigantopithecus – an extinct species of giant primate – may still be alive and well in the remotest reaches of the Himalayas or the Rockies, much like the idea that prehistoric sea monsters may be pootling around the bottom of the ocean, but this is unlikely.

Due to climate and food supply issues, it would be nigh on impossible for many of the proposed habitats of Bigfoot to be able to support a creature of its size. The limited food supply and cold climate would mean that a creature is highly unlikely to grow to a size anywhere close to the supposed size of Bigfoot.

If we allow our inner cynics free reign for a moment, the myth probably has something to do with the multi-million dollar tourist industry that has sprung up around it. Just a thought.