Russian research team finds "irrefutable" proof of the yeti's existence.

The world of cryptozoology has been abuzz these past few days as scientists (using the term loosely) have reportedly found evidence of the existence of a yeti in the Kemerovo region of Russia.  According to the researchers, this evidence is "irrefutable", releasing a statement that claimed, among other things: 

"During the expedition to the Azasskaya cave, conference participants gathered indisputable proof that the Shoria mountains are inhabited by the 'Snow Man'."

"Conference participants came to the conclusion that the artifacts found give 95% evidence of the habitation of the 'snow man' on Kemerovo region territory."

"In one of the detected tracks, Russian scientist Anatoly Fokin noted several hairs that might belong to the yeti."

It seems like 95% leaves about a 5% margin for error, here, but hey, I'm not one to challenge the definition of "indisputable" this time around.

This discovery is, interestingly, actually being reported on by media outlets worldwide.  Check the links for various tellings:

- International Business Times: http://au.ibtimes.com/articles/231073/20111014/yeti-abominable-snowman-evidence-proof-siberia-scientists-creatures.htm
- The Telegraph: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newsvideo/weirdnewsvideo/8823466/Russian-footage-of-Yeti-hair-emerges.html
- STLtoday: http://www.stltoday.com/news/opinion/columns/the-platform/article_088c5db1-9e68-59a8-bd8c-7aee409bdef6.html
- About.com: http://climbing.about.com/b/2011/10/13/yeti-evidence-found-in-russia.htm
- The Sun: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/features/3864829/Scientists-close-in-on-Yeti.html
- Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11277/1179565-84-0.stm

This story seems to harken back to one a few years ago, in which some guys from Georgia apparently found a dead Bigfoot and stuck him in their freezer.  You remember the picture, right?

And just because "Bigfoot" here turned out to be a, what, gorilla costume with animal guts thrown on top doesn't mean that people weren't at least a little bit interested in the story at the time.  And just because the Kemerovo region has apparently bit hit hard by a poor global economy and would benefit from a little monster-hunter tourism and a government research center, that doesn't mean there still couldn't be a den full of yetis living in the Siberian mountains, right?  Right??

In related news, a woman from Michigan claims that she's been feeding blueberry bagels to Bigfoot for the last two years.  God bless America.