Scottish researchers are using cutting-edge technology to better understand the ecosystem of the country’s most fabled loch: Loch Ness.

In a new collaboration, The Loch Ness Centre and academics from the University of Aberdeen have teamed in what they’ve said is a significant step forward in scientific exploration.

Taking to the famous waters with Alistair Matheson, the skipper for The Loch Ness Project, the Aberdeen team deployed an advanced digital, holographic camera to get a unique look at life below the surface.

Dubbed weeHoloCam, the tech is capable of producing several thousand digital holographic images of microscopic marine organisms in one dive, and uses the latest in AI techniques to classify the images.

weeHoloCam has never before been used on the freshwaters of Loch Ness, and after its initial dive captured incredible images of what look like “micro-monsters”—but are, in fact, plankton particles.

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

“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.”

Nagina Ishaq, who’s general manager of The Loch Ness Centre, added: “At the centre, we present the whole story about Loch Ness – the science and the myths and as part of that ongoing effort we want to encourage researchers to come here and to find out more about what is in the Loch, because there is so much we don’t know.

“We reached out to Interface to put us in touch with academia. One of the applications was from the University of Aberdeen using the weeHoloCam and it really jumped out at us as something we wanted to pursue.

“It has been really exciting having the team here and we look forward to working with them further as they study Loch Ness on a microbial level to see what can be learned.”

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This new discovery follows The Loch Ness Centre’s latest giant search of Loch Ness, as it continues in its pursuit of uncovering the loch’s mysteries.

As part of the recent search, a hydrophone was used to listen for mysterious sounds echoing from the depths of the loch.

Alan McKenna from Loch Ness Exploration captured a unique noise using the hydrophone to be analysed, and said it was “a rhythmic pulsing sound that lasted about 10 seconds.”

The Loch Ness Centre itself reopened last year following extensive renovation and is located at the old Drumnadrochit Hotel.

It was at the Hotel where, 90 years ago, hotel manageress Mrs Aldie Mackay reported seeing a “water beast” in Loch Ness, marking the beginning of the modern Nessie phenomenon.