Scientists investigating a boat-shaped formation in Turkey's mountains say new clues suggest Noah's Ark could be buried beneath the site. An international team examining the Durupınar Formation, located approximately 18 miles south of Mount Ararat, has detected unusually high carbon levels in soil samples taken from within the formation's outline. These levels are reportedly 40 percent higher than those found in soil samples collected nearby.
Researchers suggest this difference could indicate the presence of organic material, potentially ancient wood, though no timber has yet been recovered. Lead archaeologist Dr. Cenker Atila stated that the elevated carbon levels "raise the idea that there may be organic material or remains of wood."
Additionally, new radar scans have revealed underground anomalies that intersect at right angles. These features, located about 20 feet below the surface, are interpreted by researchers as possibly indicating cavities or structural divisions, such as the animal holding rooms described in biblical accounts. Independent researcher Andrew Jones, part of the investigation team, noted that soil analysis inside the formation shows it is less alkaline, contains more organic matter, and has more potassium than surrounding soil—characteristics consistent with decaying wood.
"Tests show less than a five percent chance they're random, giving 95 percent confidence that something like a decayed wooden ship is causing them," Jones said. He added that the radar captured "a series of right angles" about 20 feet down.
The Durupınar Formation was first identified in aerial photographs in 1959. Local reports indicate that heavy rains and earthquakes in May 1948 exposed the formation after washing away surrounding mud. The Bible states that Noah's Ark came to rest on the "mountains of Ararat" after a catastrophic flood that occurred more than 4,300 years ago, saving Noah, his family, and pairs of all animals from annihilation.
Biblical measurements describe the ark as 300 cubits long, 50 cubits wide, and 30 cubits high, approximately 515 feet long, 86 feet wide, and 52 feet tall. The formation's dimensions are notably similar to these figures.
While some scientists propose the formation is a natural geological feature, the research team believes it represents something more significant. The team has also employed infrared thermography (IRT), a heat-sensing technology, which has suggested the presence of a buried ship-shaped hull. According to the Bible, the massive vessel saved humanity and every kind of animal from annihilation during a catastrophic flood more than 4,300 years ago.
Led by Dr. Khosrow Bakhtar, a recent survey utilized BakhtarRadar, a system developed through US Air Force research, to probe deeper beneath the site. This survey detected strong subsurface anomalies and distinct layers within the 515-foot-long formation, challenging the notion that it is a single, homogenous rock mass. The team plans to use these findings to determine optimal locations for core drilling, which could provide definitive evidence of what lies beneath the formation.
The researchers acknowledge that the current findings are preliminary and that radar anomalies alone do not conclusively prove an archaeological origin for the formation. Further analysis of the data is ongoing, with the goal of identifying man-worked timbers distinct from the natural geological composition of the site.