Disputed discovery: Possible Noah's Ark site in Turkish mountains

Scientists claim that a rock formation in the Turkish mountains may correspond to the proportions of the biblical Noah's Ark. 3D scanning has revealed subsurface structures that may result from human activity. What is known about them?

The formation is located on Mount Tendürek, near the Turkish-Iranian border. It was discovered in 1959 by Ilhan Durupinar, a captain in the Turkish Air Force, who noticed an unusual shape in aerial photos. Archaeologists suggest that the structure may be the remains of a human-built vessel.

Many researchers believe this could be the biblical Noah's Ark. According to the Bible, the ark was 300 cubits long, 50 cubits wide, and 30 cubits high. Converted to modern units, the ark's length was approximately 150 metres, which matches the dimensions of the rock formation.

American and Turkish specialists from the Noah's Ark Scans project conducted research using advanced 3D scanning. This non-invasive method allows for the collection of high-resolution data on objects located beneath the surface of the studied area, including elements both underwater and underground, such as wood or asphalt. A special ground-penetrating radar can see several metres deep, making surface mapping easier.

Ground-penetrating radar is a modern, mobile geophysical technique that sends electromagnetic waves. These devices analyze frequencies in the range from short to ultra-short radio waves. The collected data is processed using specialized software to obtain an image resembling a cross-section of the studied object.

The results of the studies using 3D scanning suggest that an artificial structure composed of parallel lines and angular shapes is beneath the surface. Andrew Jones, an engineer and archaeologist involved in the project, stated, "These results are what you would expect if this is a human-built vessel corresponding to the biblical requirements of Noah's Ark."

However, not all experts agree with these findings. Geologists point out that the rock formation does not contain traces of the wood from which the ark was supposedly made. They argue that nature can create many unusual structures. Ken Ham, founder of Answers in Genesis, also expressed skepticism. He noted that Mount Tendürek is a shield volcano, which would pose a danger to Noah and his crew.

Some researchers suggest that the ark might have landed on another mountain somewhere in the ancient state of Urartu, which included areas of present-day Turkey, Iran, and Armenia. Others argue that it was impossible in ancient times to build a ship capable of housing many creatures. A group of researchers also questions the possibility of a global flood.

One of them is Prof. David Montgomery from the University of Washington. The researcher emphasizes that a global flood never happened because there is not enough water on Earth to cover the entire planet, including the highest mountain ranges. Live Science, citing studies by the US Geological Survey, reports that even if all the water in the atmosphere fell at once, our planet would be submerged to a depth of only about 2.5 centimetres.

This scenario does not justify building a huge ark that could house representatives of all animal species. NASA conducted studies considering the scenario and ice sheets. In such a case, the sea level would rise by about 60 metres.

Additionally, even considering groundwater, which, according to research published in "Nature Geoscience," contains 22.5 million cubic kilometres of water, there would still be dry places on Earth. This water would cover the land to a depth of about 180 metres. Live Science also reminds us that "geologists don't see evidence for a global flood in the rock record," and the biblical story of Noah and his ark contains many ambiguities. For this reason, it is believed that the biblical flood is most likely an "allegorical rather than a literal recounting of an event."