The Yeti syndrome

Yet another myth goes viral

The apparent “discovery” of Yeti footprints by an Indian army mountaineering expedition last week is a reflection of sorts of a growing trend in the national public discourse. After some centuries of earnest search, including in the last one, scientists and biologists have reliably concluded that the Yeti is about as real as the Loch Ness monster or Bigfoot. So how did mountaineers attempting to summit the world's fifth-highest peak suspend disbelief and convince themselves that the mega-sized footprints they photographed belonged to this mythical beast? Could it be the result of oxygen deprivation in the rarefied air?

Himalayan mountaineers over