The human race has learned to accept many things that are hard to swallow at first — the earth is indeed round, we revolve around the sun and, now, it is time to accept that bigfoot is an undeniable reality.

First, the basics.

You may be wondering just what this bigfoot creature is other than a giant fuzzy masterpiece. Well, what science can tell us is that the males are roughly 9 feet tall, with females standing closer to a dainty 7. They weigh around 800 pounds and have feet twice the size of an average man, or the same size as your average circus clown.

The creature also appears to have a lot in common with the typical hipster — found mainly along the West Coast, they are nocturnal and eat mainly plants and berries, according to National Geographic.

While these creatures were once the purview of myths and haphazard speculation, science has now taken a definitive stance on the issue. While some opponents of the creature claim that with modern technology it’s unlikely there are any undiscovered animals remaining, evidence begs to differ.

A study done by perhaps the coolest team of experts in the scientific field of study, compiled 111 specimens of suspected bigfoot hair, blood skin and other tissue. These genetic samples “had unique morphology distinguishing them from typical human and animal samples,” according to phys.org.

Analysis showed the DNA to be a combination of human and ancient primate, leading scientists to petition for bigfoot’s scientific name to be “Homo sapiens cognatus” which denotes bigfoot as a relative of humans.

If scientific evidence is not enough to convince you, there have also been hundreds of sightings throughout the years. Although skeptics claim sightings are hoaxes for money and attention, I would like to point out that many of the same people still believe the same thing about president Obama’s birth certificate.

There are hundreds of sightings of a bigfoot-esque creature around the world — some of the more recent sightings coming from as near as Minnesota. The first bigfoot sighting came in 1811 by David Thompson, according to thinkquest.org. In 1884 The Daily Colonist, a newspaper in British Columbia, reported the capture of a Sasquatch. In 1967, what appears to be a female creature, was captured on video in Northern California. The video withstood the criticism of scientists and has yet to be discredited, according to the Museum of Unnatural Mystery.

Large tracks — the creatures’ namesake — have been found all over the western side of the country, serving as evidence that bigfoot is out there. The tracks are usually between 16 and 18 inches long and 7 inches wide compared to a human’s 11-inch long, 4-inch wide print.

Finally, the nature of the creature itself as an apex predator — that is, a predator who has no other predators hunting it — provides compelling evidence it exists. Those who fear the reality of a world with bigfoot point to the lack of a carcass of the creature. However, apex predators are less likely to travel in packs, and therefore harder to find. It is important to note that bear carcasses, another apex predator, are also seldom discovered, according to the Museum of Unnatural Mystery.

It is clear that bigfoot is a reality. From the genetic evidence that proves we have not identified everything to the numerous documented sightings and the nature of bigfoot itself, opponents of the creature don’t have a giant hairy leg to stand on.

So the next time you’re wandering through the woods, make sure you look for your distant relative.

Carrie Sandstrom is the editor-in-chief of The Dakota Student. She can be reached at [email protected].