Researchers Say Bigfoot Exists!

Bigfoot is real and a veterinarian from Texas has proof.

In November of 2012, Melba S. Ketchum made international headlines by releasing a paper saying genetic testing confirmed not only the existence of Bigfoot, but that the famous hominid is a relative of humans.

Ketchum says the Bigfoot-human bloodline has been around for almost 15,000 years. The 5-year-long study says a male of “an unknown hominid species” had crossed with female Homo sapiens.

Bigfoot mated with a modern human female, according to Ketchum, resulting in the iconic hairy hominid hybrid. She adds that the research proves the North American Sasquatch is actually a “hybrid species.”

A Few Scientists Remain Skeptical

Many in the scientific community remain unconvinced that Ketchum has proved Bigfoot exists. They reason that because her research has not appeared in any “official” peer-reviewed scientific journals, her proof does not count.

The team of researchers, led by Ketchum, published their report called 'Novel North American Hominins: Next Generation Sequencing of Three Whole Genomes and Associated Studies' in the DeNovo Scientific Journal.

Over 1,000 Samples Found

Since the results of the study are now available to the general public, they are producing even more questions about Bigfoot.

Researchers used more than 1,100 samples of hair, blood, toenails, bark scrapings, mucus, saliva and skin, as well as hair with subcutaneous tissue attached purported to be from Bigfoot. Dozens of people collected the samples from 34 sites around North America and researchers “extracted, analyzed and sequenced DNA” from hundreds of samples.

The research team compared the samples to samples from common animals, including humans, dogs, cows, deer, elk, fox, bear, moose, coyote, wolf and horse. They say none of them was a match.

The report added that the hair structure was “not consistent” with known wildlife or human hairs.

DNA was the Key

The key findings in the study were DNA results. DNA analysis provides two distinctly different results. The DNA of the mitochondria (the cell's power producers) were undeniably human, while DNA from the cell nucleus had an unusual structure and pattern.

“This conclusively proves that the Sasquatch exist as an extant hominin,” the report concludes, “and are a direct maternal descendent of modern humans.”

So, Does Bigfoot Really Exist?

Skeptics say that Ketchum’s samples may be contaminated. They believe the original samples whether from Bigfoot, bears, humans or another animal were collected and handled by mostly Bigfoot buffs without experience or training in forensic evidence collection. Other DNA entered the samples, most likely by accident, through something as basic as spit, coughing or a sneeze.

Ketchum’s researchers disagree with the accusation, saying that they took “exhaustive precautions” to “minimize or eliminate contamination.”

This study is not the only genetics-based project to prove that Bigfoot exists. In 2012, researchers from the Lausanne Museum of Zoology and Oxford University announced they collected samples of Bigfoot and Yeti hair for genetic identification.

Oxford geneticists took several materials submitted from May through September, and are currently conducting another DNA study. Once they finish examining the samples, they intend to present results to peer-reviewed scientific journals.

If Ketchum’s claims become the definitive proof of Bigfoot, it will shake the scientific world. It will remove any doubt that Bigfoot exists. However, if some in the scientific community decide to fight back, saying results are ambiguous or inaccurate, the search for evidence of Bigfoot will certainly continue.