Scientists say groundbreaking discovery at 'site of Noah's Ark' could prove Biblical story as true
There are plenty of Bible stories for those who've dived into the Old and New Testament, but up there with Jesus feeding the 5,000, David and Goliath, and Jesus' crucifixion, Noah and the Ark is one of the most infamous.
The idea that Noah constructed a giant ark and saved nature by taking two of every animal on his boat to avoid a massive flood is one that's expanded far beyond the Bible, being depicted in artworks, books, and everything from Muppets From Space to Evan Almighty.
While early writers like Flavius Josephus believed the ark existed, searches since the time of Eusebius (275–339 AD) have turned up with little scientific evidence that it ever happened. There's also no real proof of a global flood, although supporters suggest the story of Noah and the Ark could've grown from a Black Sea Deluge some 7,500 years ago. Still, that hasn't stopped supporters searching for the fabled vessel, with the Daily Mail claiming scientists might've found its final resting place.
A giant mound in Turkey is thought to hold the remains of Noah's Ark, with an American team of researchers working at Durupinar Formation suggesting that the structure near the country's Mount Ararat is conveniently ship-shaped.
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Using ground-penetrating radar, Andrew Jones, an independent researcher with Noah's Ark Scans, discovered what looks like a 13-foot tunnel through the middle of the mysterious mound.
Importantly, the scans are said to capture the image of what could be three boat decks, which fits the Bible's description of Noah's Ark in The Book of Genesis 6:16: "Make a roof for the ark, and finish it to a cubit above, and set the door of the ark in its side. Make it with lower, second, and third decks."
Despite the GPR data supporting the idea of a central and side corridors running through the 'boat', Jones told The Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN): "We're not expecting something that's fully preserved. What's left is the chemical imprint, pieces of wood and in the ground, the shape of a hall."
The Bible claims that the ark ended up on the 'mountains of Ararat' after God smote the Earth with a 150-day flood. The Durupınar Formation's proximity to Mount Ararat makes it the perfect place for the ark to rest, although it was only discovered when heavy rainfall washed away mud in 1948.
Although scientists have long maintained that the Durupinar Formation is a natural occurrence, Jones isn't convinced. Speaking to CBN, he reiterated: "This is not what you'd expect to see if the site were simply a solid block of rock or the result of random mudflow debris.
"But it is exactly what you'd expect to find if this were a man-made boat, consistent with the biblical specifications of Noah's Ark."
Saying that the team at Noah's Ark Scans have found 'some interesting things' in the soil, Jones added, "We noticed that the grass growing within the boat-shaped formation is a different color compared to the area just outside it," suggesting it was hinting at something of manmade origin.
Fellow Noah's Ark Scans member William Crabtree says that high potassium levels in the soil might point toward decaying material like wood.
Jones and the team hope to continue taking samples in an effort to prove that the Durupınar Formation is the fabled resting place of Noah's Ark.