Vampires are fictional mythological creatures said to subsist by drinking the blood
of their victims.[1][2] The best known tale about vampires is Bram Stoker's 1897
story, Dracula, which drew on earlier mythologies of werewolves and similar imaginary
demons and "was to voice the anxieties of a [Victorian] age."[3] Literary historian
Brian Frost speculates that the "belief in vampires and bloodsucking demons is as
old as man himself," and may go back to "prehistoric times,"[4] although historian
Susan Sellers places the current vampire myth in the "comparative safety of nightmare
fantasy."[3] Numerous modern science-fiction writers since the 1950s have also used
vampires in their stories[5] where they have been described as products of such things
as "bacteria, mutation, evolution, and extraterrestrials."[6]
A werewolf or werwolf, also known as a lycanthrope ), is a mythological or folkloric
human with the ability to shapeshift into a wolf or an anthropomorphic wolf-like
creature, either purposely, by being bitten or scratched by another werewolf, or
after being placed under a curse. This transformation is often associated with the
appearance of the full moon, as popularly noted by the medieval chronicler Gervase
of Tilbury, although it may have been recognized in earlier times among the ancient
Greeks through the writings of Petronius.
Werewolves are often granted extra-human strength and senses, far beyond those of
both wolves or men. The werewolf is generally held as a European character, although
its lore spread through the world in later times. Shape-shifters, similar to werewolves,
are common in tales from all over the world, most notably amongst the Native Americans,
though most of them involve animal forms other than wolves.
Some in the scientific community regard the Yeti as a legend,[2] yet it remains one
of the most famous creatures of cryptozoology. The Yeti may be considered a sort
of parallel to the Bigfoot legend of North America.
The Yeti or Abominable Snowman is possibly a creature and an ape-like cryptid said
to inhabit the Himalayan region of Nepal and Tibet. The names Yeti and Meh-Teh are
commonly used by the people indigenous to the region,[1] and are part of their history
and mythology. Stories of the Yeti first emerged as a facet of Western popular culture
in the 19th century.
The Loch Ness Monster is a debated, mythical creature, most commonly speculated to
be from a line of long-surviving plesiosaurs,[3] that is reputed to inhabit Loch
Ness in the Scottish Highlands. It is similar to other supposed lake monsters in
Scotland and elsewhere, though its description varies from one account to the next.
Popular interest and belief in the animal has fluctuated since it was brought to
the world's attention in 1933. Evidence of its existence is anecdotal, with minimal
and much-disputed photographic material and sonar readings. The scientific community
regards the Loch Ness Monster as a modern-day myth, and explains sightings as a mix
of hoaxes and wishful thinking. Despite this, it remains one of the most famous examples
of cryptozoology. The legendary monster has been affectionately referred to by the
nickname Nessie[4] (Scottish Gaelic: Niseag)[1] since the 1950s.
