The Race to Publish Findings on Bigfoot DNA
Ah, Bigfooters. They’re not nearly as crazy or as bombastic as ghost hunters, but sometimes they can give them a run for their money. I firmly believe that if any so-called paranormal phenomenon will be solved and/or explained during our lifetimes, it would be the Bigfoot mystery (sorry, fellow ghost hunters, but we are barely beginning to scratch the surface in our field, and way too many people are muddling the view with wonky science and fame-seeking). A lot of interesting research has been done on the big hairy fella, and a lot of it promises to be interesting. And it promises and promises, and keeps on promising, but so far, zilch. This story illustrates exactly what I mean.
“I’ll…ummm…gladly donate some DNA for your…study…”
During the first half of Coast to Coast AM on Friday, July 27, 2012, the guest was Rhettman Mullis, the scientific mind behind Team Bigfootology. Aside from his story of Patrick, the human-Bigfoot hybrid, and his revelations regarding the Bigfoot language, Mullis’ made one tiny statement that seemed to go unnoticed: “I already know what one of the outcomes are and I’m not at liberty to discuss that.”
According to Rhettman Mullis, he and his team are the only people using a true scientific method to conduct Bigfoot research in North America. They’re working closely with Bryan Sykes, former professor of Human Genetics at University of Oxford, who is also conducting DNA research on Bigfoot hair samples at at Lausanne Museum of Zoology in Switzerland.
During his interview with George Noory on Coast to Coast AM, Mullis slipped in the following statement:
“I already know what one of the outcomes are and I’m not at liberty to discuss that. But it’s a very exciting conclusion. And so, what we’re hoping is, now that we have that answer, let’s see what Dr. Sykes comes up with and let’s see how they compare, because he’s the one that’s going to put this in the history books and put this in the biology books as fact.”
Bryan Sykes’ research project is currently in the sample submission stage. Samples may be submitted for DNA analysis, at no expense, until September. DNA analysis will be conducted during the month of November and Sykes hopes to publish results as early as December of 2012.
Sykes is well known in academic circles for his ground-breaking techniques for analyzing ancient DNA. His technique for extracting DNA from centuries-old human bones led to his theory that all Europeans are descended from seven distinct females. His book, “The Seven Daughters of Eve”, is fascinating reading and written in a style that makes it easy for anyone to read and understand.
Dr. Melba Ketchum has also been working on Bigfoot DNA research here in the United States for quite some time, and Bigfoot enthusiasts have been waiting for her to publish her peer-reviewed paper since April 2012. In an angry outburst from Ketchum which turned up on her Facebook news feed this week, Ketchum had this to say in response to an article posted by Robert Lindsay at “Bigfoot News: July 12, 2012”:
“The manuscript is NOT at the Nature Group! How many times do I have to say this? There is no pub date yet! Those pics are not real either, it looks like the hair is mounted on something fake (or tanned) and it really looks more like tanned coyote hide. The morphology is wrong for BF hair. Talk about grasping at straws. I wish people would stop bombarding me with emails every time all this fiction gets posted but that is all it is, fiction. Geez…. Ok, now that I have responded this time, this is the last post I am going to comment on the subject of this blog….and I am not going to waste my time answering any emails on it either. Just know, whatever that blog says as it pertains to ANYTHING we are doing or know, it is NOT true and I will not address this again. There are no leaks from our group and NOBODY, even the submitters, know anything at this time as the dynamics of the study have radically changed. I have way too much to do to than to answer a lot of emails. I don’t want to be rude and not answer so I am posting this as an answer to all. Please do not expect anything further until the paper is released. Thanks everyone and I appreciate the support.”
Read the whole story at “Robert Lindsay: Ketchum DNA paper should publish from August 21 – September 4, 2012 (Update: Ketchum responds)”
So, Dr. Ketchum says, “The dynamics of the study have radically changed”, and Rhettman Mullis says,“I already know what one of the outcomes are and I’m not at liberty to discuss that.”
So far, no one’s letting any details slip, and gossip has it that leaking information at this point will either jeopardize Ketchum’s research paper or dim the limelight she’s been basking in.
Sykes seems to have definitive milestones set up for his research project, though, something that Ketchum has never seemed to be able to do. Sykes also has the backing of a major university and museum, and a scientific research staff to keep things moving along.
The race is on. If Ketchum can’t, or won’t, publish her paper before Sykes publishes in December, she might as well hang it up. Either way, December promises to be a very interesting month for Bigfoot fans.
A lot of people keep claiming they have “exciting” finds from their DNA research, and it either never gets released, or we end up with stories like the debacle we had last year with the “Bigfoot face smudges.” I do understand the need for these researchers to be patient, and not release anything until all the results are in. But the bottom line is people have to stop with the cryptic “I-know-something-you-don’t-know” statements. Either publish your findings, or keep quiet. Otherwise, you just look like every other hoaxer out there who makes big promises they can never deliver on.
