Has Noah’s Ark been found? Scientists reveal plans to dig up boat-shaped mound in Turkey to see if it really is the vessel from the Bible

It inspired one of the most famous stories from the Bible, allegedly saving mankind and two of every animal during an ancient flood. 

And ever since the early days of Christianity, Noah’s Ark has inspired a fleet of devotees who believe it was actually real.  

Scientists even think they’ve found the remains of the wooden vessel – and now they want to prove it.

Experts at California firm Noah’s Ark Scans are prepared to dig up Durupinar Formation, a 538-foot-long boat-shaped geological formation in eastern Turkey. 

First it will be conducting soil sampling for traces of wood at the site, which is made of a type of iron ore called limonite.

It will also continue to beam down radar waves in an attempt to ‘see’ underground and pick out indications of an Ark-shaped object. 

‘The location lies in an active earth flow with harsh winters, so protecting the area is our top priority,’ Andrew Jones, researcher at Noah’s Ark Scans, told the Sun. 

‘Over the next few years, our Turkish university partners will conduct non-destructive tests like soil sampling, radar scans, and other methods to determine if the structures we’ve detected are truly man-made or simply natural formations. Only after we gather enough evidence and have a proper preservation plan in place will we consider excavating.’

Scientists say that a large boat-shaped geological structure could be the remains of Noah’s Ark as new evidence shows the area was flooded 5,000 years ago 

According to the Bible, Noah’s Ark saved humanity and all the animals from certain annihilation during an ancient flood 

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Durupinar Formation has long captivated researchers due to the fact that its shape and structure almost match those given for the Ark in the Bible. 

Located just 18 miles (30km) south from Mount Ararat, Turkey’s highest peak, Durupinar Formation has only been known about for under a century.

According to local reports, heavy rains and earthquakes exposed the formation from surrounding mud in May 1948 before being discovered by a Kurdish shepherd.

Ever since, the site has drawn believers in the Ark, although interest is really ramping up following the ambitious efforts from Noah’s Ark Scans. 

Already, the project has performed tests on 22 soil samples at Durupinar Formation which returned remarkable results. 

There was a lower pH, higher organic matter and higher potassium inside the ‘boat shape’ – changes consistent with rotting wood, the team say. 

What’s more, the grass inside turns lighter and more yellow in the autumn – something they believe is triggered by a human-made creation. 

Already, radar techniques have revealed rectangular shapes around 22ft down within the formation, which could be evidence of a vessel divided up into interior sections. 

The Durupinar Formation is a 163-metre (538ft) geological structure made of a type of iron ore called limonite 

The Durupinar Formation roughly matches the shape and dimensions of the Ark given in the Bible. Analysis of soil samples from the area suggests that this region was underwater 3,500 to 5,000 years ago, during the supposed time of the biblical flood 

Imagery of the Durupinar formation seem to show the dimensions of the vessel – including what seem to be rectangular inner cavities 

Is Noah’s Ark real? 

Christians will say that not a single prophecy from the Bible has been proven false – although scientists point out that not all events in the Bible are possible.

In the case of Noah’s Ark, no scientific evidence that it existed has ever been found, although that’s not stopping believers from searching for it.

No wooden ark would have been able to have fit two of every animal, although it might have been able to stay afloat, according to one study.

During the 7th International Symposium on Mount Ararat and Noah’s Ark in 2023, the team presented new evidence in support of their theory. 

They took 30 samples of soil and rock from around the Durupinar Formation and sent these to the Istanbul Technical University for analysis. 

The tests showed that the soil contains traces of clay-like materials, marine deposits and even the remnants of marine life such as molluscs.

Dating these samples showed that they were between 3,500 and 5,000 years old. 

This suggests that the Durupinar Formation and surrounding area were covered by water in a time period consistent with the biblical account.

According to literal interpretations of the Bible, the world was covered with water during the Chalcolithic period – a time stretching from 5500 to 3000 BC.

If true, this would strengthen the claim that the Durupinar Formation is the exact boat used by the Biblical figure Noah to survive the ancient flood. 

Named the ‘Mount Ararat and Noah’s Ark Research Team,’ scientists used technology to analyse if the soil has traces of human activity

New research by a team of archaeologists and scientists on the Durupinar formation has captured the attention of those who believe the ship is buried underneath the spot

Besides this new evidence, the main arguments in favour of the Noah’s Ark theory are the shape and location of the Durupinar formation.

In the Bible, Noah is instructed to build a boat which has ‘a length of three hundred cubits, its width fifty cubits, and its height thirty cubits.’

Although conversions from Biblical units are difficult, some scholars have chosen to interpret this as using the standardised Egyptian cubit of 52.4 cm.

Using those units, the length of Noah’s ark would be 515ft (157m) which is close to the 168 metres (538ft) of the Durupinar formation.

Additionally, the biblical account states that the Ark came to rest on the ‘Mountains of Ararat’.

The Durupinar Formation is located just 18 miles south (30km) from Mount Ararat, Turkey’s highest peak.

Is there a God? Scientists give their definitive answers to the eternal question 

It’s surely the biggest question of all – does God exist? Now, researchers give their definitive answer to the eternal question. 

For centuries, it has been a huge subject of debate, argued over by priests, academics, and the public alike. 

And it is surely intertwined with the matter of why humans are here on this planet – dating right back to the Big Bang 14 billion years ago, or even longer. 

God – depicted in films and TV such as Monty Python, The Simpsons and Bruce Almighty – is of course not unique to Christianity.  

But regardless of religion, dire events like wars, earthquakes and personal tragedies often make humans question the existence of an almighty deity.

No scientific evidence of God’s existence has been found – although many would argue the proof we are alive is proof of God. 

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Read more at DailyMail.co.uk