Cryptozoology is a pseudoscience (A science that is not justifiable by the scientific method) which considers the validity of myths and folklore beasts. These beasts are called cryptids, such as Bigfoot or the Chupacabra. Although it shares the same name as zoology, and focuses around things that folkloristics is about, it is recognized by neither, and Is not considered a science. This is because it revolves around mostly word of mouth and sightings, rather than hard evidence.

While biologists discover new species every day, cryptozoologists are after the creatures from folklore, stories, and mythos. Around the world there are many, many different animals told in stories, some of which overlap within the realm of reality.

Cryptozoology comes from Bernard Heuvelmans, a Belgian-French zoologist, and Ivan Sanderson, a Scottish zoologist. Heuvelmans original publication, On the Track of Unknown Animals (1955), was considered a milestone for cryptozoologists that was followed by many other similar works from other scientists. Sanderson would go on to make one of the other most notable works, Abominable Snowmen: Legend Come to Life (1961). These two works would set off an explosion in cryptozoology, and goes on today in many forms of media, like History Channel's Ancient Aliens.

The word cryptozoology started circulating in 1959, but most likely originates from before that time. Heuvelmans credits Sanderson with creating the word cryptozoology. Cryptid followed in 1983 by cryptozoologist J. E. Wall.

A classic example of cryptozoology is the Loch Ness Monster. It has been described to be a plesiosaur by many locals over hundreds of years. The only problem with this is, according to science, dinosaurs went extinct 65 million years ago. There are many examples of plesiosaur- like monsters appearing around the world, such as the Congo River's Mokele-mbembe. These examples are what push cryptozoologists to their field.

In 2003 the discovery of Homo Floresiensis was cited by Henry Gee, a famous paleontologist and editor of Nature, a scientific journal. He said that this finding could be the missing clue as to what yetis or even Bigfoot could be, and that this could usher in a new era of cryptozoology. This is one of the only examples of a scientist coming forward to show support of cryptozoology.

Cryptozoology isn't so much of a science in the classic sense as it is an idea. The idea that we can one day link our mythos and folk tales to each other, bridging the gap and finding out what our ancestors could have been seeing when they wrote about them. There are many more examples of cryptozoology, and as time goes on who knows what we will find hiding right under our noses.

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