Government conspiracies. Contaminated DNA. Unusual sounds.

Charlie Raymond explains his Big Foot theories to a Bowling Green audience. Bac Totrong/The Daily News

In 60 minutes Tuesday, Charlie Raymond presented his case for the existence of nearly 9-foot-tall, 1,000-pound Bigfoots.

“They stay away from us, they don’t want to be seen,” the Kentucky Bigfoot Research Organization founder told a crowd of about 150 people at the Warren County Public Library’s Bob Kirby Branch on Tuesday night.

A few people laughed, a few wore apathetic expressions and a few people walked out early. But the majority of the mostly middle-aged audience nodded along as Raymond spelled out his theories.

From former President Teddy Roosevelt’s tale of a Sasquatch encounter to the government hiding “species No. 5,” Raymond is convinced of the existence of a shy, intelligent creature closely related to humans.

Raymond recounted a few stories from eyewitnesses who described outlines of figures, glowing eyes and unidentified sounds. He played a few audio samples of owl hoots and compared them to “unknown animal” sounds.

Raymond also referred to a 2014 article from World News Daily Report – a Canadian website akin to The Onion that produces comedic fake news reports – that claimed the Smithsonian destroyed thousands of giant human skeletons. (World News Daily Report’s website even posts a disclaimer about the “satirical” and “fictional” nature of its content.)

One of Raymond’s Kentucky Bigfoot Research Organization colleagues, the Rev. Don Neal, also chimed in a few times to discuss evidence, or lack thereof.

As to the lack of Bigfoot corpses, Neal said bear hunters never stumble across already-dead bears that are naturally decomposing.

“A Bigfoot is very more advanced intelligently than a dumb old bear,” Neal said. “Just because we don’t have bones yet doesn’t mean Bigfoot isn’t real.”

The last piece of evidence Raymond showed was a thermal video recording of what he believes is a Bigfoot.

“But who knows, maybe not,” he said.

When it comes to Bigfoot’s reality, the mainstream scientific community says the likelihood of a primate escaping discovery all these years is unlikely.

Trained biologists track animals that are rarely seen, such as wolverines, jaguars and ocelots. Meanwhile, advances in eDNA, or environmental DNA, have enabled scientists to track species by collecting DNA from water, ice and sediment – a scientific discovery advanced during the search for undiscovered species.

Neil Gemmell, a geneticist at the University of Otago in New Zealand, capitalized on this interest in cryptozoology with a proposal to sequence eDNA from Loch Ness, the Scotland lake where a mythological sea monster supposedly lives (or lived). Gemmel jokes on his Twitter account that “Nessie” sightings could be from “mind-altering parasites,” but he does seem to believe in myths’ power to encourage people’s interest in applied science.

For others, the obsession with Bigfoot is in itself real.

Joshua Blue Buhs, author of “Bigfoot: The Life and Times of a Legend,” theorizes that this continent-crossing phenomenon reflects a vulnerable piece of the human psyche.

“Our desires and fears concerning the animal nature of humanity are projected onto shadowy creatures, a manifestation of our awareness of the messy biological reality of what it means to be human,” Buhs wrote.

Scientists fascinated with the idea of an intelligent, biped primate believe the creatures would represent another step in the chain of evolution – though neither Raymond nor Neal thought that was plausible.

“I don’t believe in evolution, of course. Being a Christian I believe in God, the creator. I don’t think we evolved from a monkey. But I do keep an open mind, I believe in Bigfoot,” Neal said.

Following the presentation, a flock of people swarmed the presenters to get autographs, take pictures and purchase Bigfoot merchandise.

A few individuals approached the pseudo-celebrities with offers to tell tales of their own Bigfoot encounters.

A young boy asked where’s the best place to find a Bigfoot. Raymond recommended Mammoth Cave at night.

One boy asked Raymond if he was teased for believing in Bigfoot.

“I get laughed at sometimes,” Raymond said.