'Mini-monsters' discovered in Loch Ness with never-before-seen holographic technology

While the Loch Ness Monster continues to evade scientists , a group of researchers recently discovered “mini-monsters” in the famous lake.

Engineers from the University of Aberdeen teamed up with The Loch Ness Centre to deploy new technology that’s never been used in freshwater. Called the weHoloCam, the device is sent into the water to capture holographic images of microorganisms in the murky environment.

The team uncovered a series of high-definition images of plankton, what some had been calling “micro monsters” using the weHoloCam, according to the University of Aberdeen. They were able to classify the images using artificial intelligence.

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Dr. Thangavel Thevar from the University of Aberdeen’s School of Engineering said: “This was a unique opportunity for us to deploy the weeHoloCam in freshwater, as it has previously only been used in the ocean.

“We were curious as to what the water quality would be like, especially at lower depths, as we know that too much peat could obstruct the recording path of the instrument. But we lowered the camera to around 200 metres and were able to see lots of interesting particles which, by working with biologists, should be able to give us more information about the biodiversity of Loch Ness."

Emeritus Professor Jon Watson, a member of the Aberdeen team, said holographic cameras are different from traditional cameras due to the amount of a scene they can capture.

“With a hologram, an entire volume is recorded in one shot. It’s like lifting a bit of the ocean up and taking it to your laboratory,” he said.

The team plans to go back and take more photos later this year. Learning more about the ecosystem of Loch Ness, which is still majorly unexplored, will help to solve some of the mysteries and myths surrounding the area.