Nessie is one of the biggest mysteries to children

The existence of the Loch Ness monster, ghosts and aliens are the real mysteries the nation’s children would love to have answered.

A poll of 1,000 primary school-aged children revealed ghosts are the number one curiosity, with 32 per cent of youngsters wanting to know whether they exist.

Three in 10 want an answer on the existence of extra-terrestrial life forms, and 23 per cent need to know whether Nessie is more than a myth.

It also emerged children want to know why animals don’t speak the same language as humans, who named the dinosaurs and why you can’t see God when you’re in space.

Whether fish sleep, what stars are made of and who invented money are also questions children want answered, while others are baffled about the existence of elves, unicorns, mermaids and Yetis.

The study also found more than a quarter of children believe the Loch Ness monster is real, with 17 per cent of children convinced they have seen a ghost.

A spokesman for the television channel History, which conducted the study ahead of the launch of the all new Mystery Season, on Monday 6 January, said: ‘There are so many mysteries that people young and old long for the answer to.

‘Children in particular are so incredibly inquisitive, asking their parents about far reaching topics from historical to the supernatural.

‘Kids always look up to parents as the fonts of all knowledge with so many questions, but mums and dads can’t know everything – and will often look to documentaries or the internet for help to quench their kid’s thirst for knowledge.’

The study also found mysteries from the topics of science, maths and history are those that mums and dads struggle to answer most, according to the 1,000 parents who also took part in the survey.

‘Where do babies come from?’, ‘Do ghosts exist?’ and ‘Is the tooth fairy or Santa real?’ are the questions inquisitive children most frequently ask their parents.

Looking for the Loch Ness Monster is on the bucket list

More than six in 10 parents think their children get their questions purely from their active imagination – and more than half also think bouncing conversation around with their friends generates their far-reaching thoughts.

Two thirds of parents find Googling the answer to children’s complicated questions helpful, with half admitting to lying to their young when it comes to their trickier or more awkward queries.

And as the subject of ‘fake news’ continues to dominate the headlines, more than three in four parents worry their children might Google questions but find the wrong information.

Half of parents have also found themselves red-faced when their children have asked a question at an inappropriate time.

The study also revealed how the active imaginations of children affect what they see in real life.

Of the youngsters surveyed, 44 per cent correctly identified Stonehenge as an ancient monument, but one in 20 thought it was an old alien landing pad.

Another one in 14 believe it is the remains of a very old house.

And while 57 per cent of children knew the pyramids in Egypt are a pharaoh’s ancient tomb – one in 10 think it’s an Egyptian house and five per cent believe they’re a portal to another world.

Interestingly, a third of those polled, via OnePoll, said they thought the internet had always existed.

In children’s eyes, mum came out on top when it came to the most intelligent person they know, with dads coming in a close second – well ahead of their teachers.

Some young respondents claimed they were the most intelligent person they know, with some even stating the virtual assistant, Alexa was the brain box of the house.

A spokesman for History added: ‘Parents can often find it difficult to keep up with the volume of questions coming their way about different topics – but Mystery Season on History should be able to help.

‘From investigations into the life’s biggest mysteries, exploring credible insight into ancient aliens as far back as 75 million years and many more fascinating unexplained questions – these shows can help shed a light on some of the biggest head scratchers.’

The top 20 things children would like to know:

1. Do ghosts exist?
2. Do aliens exist?
3. Is Santa Claus real?
4. Is the Loch Ness monster real?
5. Does the tooth fairy exist?
6. Do fairies exist?
7. Do UFOs exist?
8. Where do babies come from?
9. Where do people go when they die?
10. Do unicorns exist?
11. Do elves exist?
12. What time does Santa deliver presents to my house?
13. Do mermaids exist?
14. What are stars made of?
15. Why is the sky blue?
16. How do fish sleep?
17. Are Yetis real?
18. What does the tooth fairy do with the teeth?
19. Who invented money?
20. How do planes stay in the air?

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