A team of Texas archaeologists believe they may have located the remains of Noah's Ark in Iran's Elburz mountain range. "I can't imagine what it could be if it is not the Ark," said Arch Bonnema of the Bible Archaeology Search and Exploration (B.A.S.E) Institute, a Christian archeology organization dedicated to looking for biblical artifacts. Bonnema and the other B.A.S.E. Institute members hiked for seven hours in the mountains northwest of Tehran, climbing 13,000 feet before making the apparent discovery. "We got up to this object, nestled in the side of a hill," said Robert Cornuke, a member of the B.A.S.E. Institute. "We found something that has my heart skipping a beat." At first, they didn't dare to hope it was the biblical boat. "It wasn't impressive at first," Cornuke said. "Certainly didn't think it to be Noah's Ark. But when we got close, we were amazed. It looked similar to wood." In addition, some B.A.SE. members say, their discovery didn't look very distinctive. "It looked like the deck of any boat today," Bonnema said. The Bible places the Ark in the mountains of Ararat, a mountain range theologians believe spans hundreds of miles, which the team says is consistent with their find in Iran.

The Bible also describes the Ark's dimensions as being 300 cubits by 50 cubits -- about the size of a small aircraft carrier. The B.A.S.E. Institute's discovery is similar in size and scale. "It is provocative to think that this could be the lost ark of Noah," Cornuke said Throughout history, people have been searching for the Ark to help prove God's existence. "There's this idea, if we can prove that the ark existed then we can prove that the story existed, and more importantly, we can prove that God existed," said Bruce Feiler, author of "Where God Was Born." Previous scholars have searched for the Ark on Mount Ararat in Turkey. "Czar Nicholas, actually, in 1916 sent two expeditions to photograph it on top of Mount Ararat," said Feiler. One former U.S. president, Feiler said, looked for it in the mountains of Iran.

View: Full Article | Source: ABC Local

i thought i watched adocumentry years ago about the ark in this location, but the authorties shut the dig down.....
and why would it prove the exstince of god, because god told noah to build it what if it was aliens who told him, what if he was just very good at tracking the weather and got prepared.

As is patently obvious in the photos here all they've found is a basalt dyke. Simple as that.

Unless of course Noah's ark was made of molten rock, coursing through cracks in the earth's crust ....

Why can`t they just take a piece of the wood and check how old it is ?

Yeah and i've found the tooth fairy under my bed... the Yeti lives in my garden, and my neighbour is actually a reptile from space... I'm, frankly, sick and tired of this sort of nonsense all it does seem to prove is the Xtians will believe any old claptrap if it furthers the cause of their agenda...

Yet another absolutely ridiculous "Ark" story. It's just so .... so ... so ... lame and idiotic, it makes one want to gasp -- also, this story says the ark would be the size of a small aircraft carrier -- it actually would not by much larger than a football field. And it was supposed to carry to of every animal on earth ... it's so ridiculous. It's a fable!

A must read: Could Noah have Built the Ark?

So it isn't real?

If it's so obviously a basalt dyke then this should have been dismissed right away.

Because it's a rock formation It's either a dyke or a laccolith.

I'll believe when the fix it up and take it for a spin

Well wasn't a ark supposdely found in Turkey but there not allowed to dig it up or experiment due to the authiorities there?

Anyway if it is the ARK then well it proves religion to be true the God storys?
Or does it simplejust prove that the stroy was true and that the bible storys could of been made up by these people?

Evidently because it was under so much ice, it's contaminated and carbon dating won't accurately tell how old it is. At least that's what I saw on another TV show about it. Personally, I don't find carbon dating to be all that accurate anyway, it's more of an estimate.

Woouldn't it also be too far gone being well over 2000 years old never really understood carbon dating....

But well al i know is that under the ice it would of been contaminated, and would wellin the ice it would contain the carbon 14 or wahtever it is.

But well surely the type of wood used, or things contained on the ark if they exacvated it could tell how old it is.

There's always people who want to believe in something, and it's because of them that stories like this stay around for so long, even after they are proved wrong.

The carbon testing has been proven wrong in many cases, so I wouldn't rely on what is would say anyway.

Like what?

Yeah, what he said ^^

If you've got a better way to find the age of something...LET'S SEE IT.

Every object absorbs carbon and they see how much carbon the object has to find its exact age.
Basically.
I feel smart now! Haha I only know that because I watched the Gospel of Judas where they carbon tested it and explained how it worked.

Well, since this thing is ROCK, stronium or other radioactive isotope dating is much more suitable.

Carbon dating is based on alot of assumptions...
that atmospheric carbon has been constant.
that the decay rate has been the same as it is today.

another factor is the living things themselves, a test was done feeding mice brewer's yeast grown in natural gas. the carbon in them fluctuated, dropping C14 and raising C13. they carbon dated 13,000 years old.

comp messed up.

posted three times instead of once.

Can you provide a link?


Radioactive decay IS constant...That's what powers atomic clocks.

I find the whole ideology of this ark to be utterly ridiculous.

Athiest these days.

seems we are in a religion/science tie up..........whose right!?!?

I for one believes there is a GOD and that JESUS does exist and why is it so hard for people to believe that they do exist I mean how do ya'll explain the current events in the world katrina bush and ect. I mean do research and ya'll will find most of america's presidents were or are apart of some satanic secret society in fact look up skull and bones not to mention the mark of the beast in the bible book of revelations chapter 13 and if you don't believe that you can do research on implantable microchips which america is planning for the future but if you don't believe check it out for yourself but think twice before you denounce GOD

Carbon testing isn't suppose to be accurate is suppose to give an estimate of how old an object is + or - 1000 years...

The wood could be petfiried...

How are renowned (i assume) sceintists going to get confused over a wooden ark and a basalt dyke? Either they really prematurely released a statement or maybe they have more to disclose later on

If it is done correctly it is accurate.....unless you have found something new.....a link perhaps.

So..... They found a plank of wood on a cliff. Well roll out the red carpet! That's all the evidence we need.

/sarcasm off

Something to ponder (but most won't):


http://www.worldviewweekend.com/secure/cwn...p;ArticleID=813

A quote from the above link:

Reg Lyle, oil and gas geologist said “the object appears to be a basalt dike, however, it is absolutely uncanny that the object looks like hand hewn timbers, even the grain and color look just like petrified wood….I really need to keep an open mind about this.”

After reading the posts here, alot of people need to keep an open mind about this, but athiests won't even entertain the notion of GOD (in contrast, I, a Christian, will consider the notion of no GOD-because if I'm right: I live forever with him-If I'm wrong: No big deal, we're just squashed flies)...no matter what the discussion is on-the moment they read the word 'GOD' it is immediately dismissed as crackpot lunacy. They repeatedly visit a website called (of all things) "Unexplained Mysteries" and then willing to consider all things 'unexplained' to a myriad of explainations(no matter how crazy) except the possiblity of a GOD. If it involoves GOD in any way, it is immediately dismissed. Period. It seems like anything, no matter how crazy, is possible, except for the possibility of a 'supreme being'-whatever his name might be...So if you are a believer, don't waste your 'breath'; they won't listen because it involves GOD (But they will continue to claim to be open minded-Hah!-That's a fargin' joke)...If there is a GOD (Which I believe in BTW), I hope they aren't accepted into his kingdom-We can do without them...

when there's discussion about religious things, I take the religion out of the whole equation and keep discussing. It's kind of like the two things you never discuss at the dinner table: religion, and politics. Given the people in the thread, I normally end up taking out the religion part and keep going. I got no beef towards anyone's god (or lack thereof).

That is a terrible thing to say. Your god is supposed to be a god of love and forgiveness. I think he would be disappointed of your attitude. Maybe you would be the one denied of his kingdom.

Yes...He is one of love and forgiveness..I'm just tired of people that are willing to take any and all explainations for whatever is the topic de'jour, as long the explaination doesn't involve the Bible (or any other scripture)...Mention GOD and it is immediately dismissed with insults..

But on the subject of me, yeah; hate is my sin that I carry- not lust, greed or sloth. I can only pray that I am forgiven for it...

"Amen."





Calm down, honey, you're being awfully loud while God's taking his nap.

I do agree with you on this. People on this board will believe in aliens and bigfoot but not god. These have replaced religion for them. Both require faith. I am consistent I am skeptical on everything.

I am Christian also..Roman Catholic to be exact...Religion is a faith...It can never be proved. But the willing to believe in this faith is what makes it "special" to people, even though there is no proof. No need to condemn skeptics...Everyone is welcome in Heaven.

come on guys and girls, focus on the big boat now....

the requested links

http://www.science-frontiers.com/sf099/sf099a03.htm

http://www.biblicalchronologist.org/answer...assumptions.php

I am by no way saying I am reliqious or not.
also, I might just be processing it all wrong.
And clarification and criticism is take.

Like I said, since this is a basalt dyke, stronium dating could be used...

Interesting links btw...(the 1st one)

Just reading some of the posts through this thread, and well came to one persons post about people replacing belief in Aliens and BigFoot and not believing in God.

Well i for one well i am religious not sure which side of the christian faith i lay Catholic, Methodist etc.

But well believing in God is all well and fine that he create this place, but people do have different beliefs some believe we were put here by aliens, some believe big foot has some special meaning etc.

But well these 'ARKS' have been found many times before few years back in turkey and now this one. IT will continue as us hUmans do question things why this? etc and well if this is the ark of noah is that any closer to proving that GOd exists as it could of been a guy who justbuilt a big boat....

And Relia good links interesting read

so I guess the cartesian theory that I mentioned earlier wouldn't work. Ok, that's one way of discussing marked out...

And here I thought you had good sources.

First one uses this in it's home banner:
Strange Science * Bizarre Biophysics * Anomalous astronomy

The second....'ahem" is religious based (biased in nature)

If you want a religious web site:

Carbon-14 dating (a.k.a. C-14 dating) is one of many radioisotope measuring techniques for estimating the age of objects. C-14 dating is limited to the study of carbon-bearing objects. If proper precautions are taken in the preparation of the samples, it is an accurate method for dating items up to about 50,000 years of age. Other isotope dating techniques which are based on elements other than carbon can date the age of rocks which are many billions of years old.
................................
How the technique works:
All living things -- animal or vegetable -- contain large amounts of carbon. This includes wood, bone, leather, hair, pottery, coral, paper, resin, etc. Of great importance to the analysis of the Shroud of Turin, flax and linen -- which is a product made from flax -- also contain carbon and can be dated with this measuring technique.

Carbon appears in three forms in nature:

Carbon-12: (C-12) This is a stable form of carbon. 98.89% of the carbon in living matter is of this form.
Carbon-13: (C-13) This is another stable form, comprising 1.11% of carbon in living matter.
Carbon 14: (C-14) This is an unstable radioactive isotope present in very small quantities (0.00000000010%) in living matter. It is continuously decaying. That is, individual C-14 atoms within a sample of carbon are continually changing to Nitrogen-14. It takes over five millennia for half of the C-14 atoms in an object to decay.

Your first link does not understand that C-13 and C-14 are two (related?) different things
Religious source: religioustolerance.org

How many species are there? A couple of milions? And Noah gathered them all and put them in 1 boat? That would mean he built an enormous boat, gathered huge amount of food and water for all the animals and I don't want to think about the waste management.

I believe in God, but come on, get real.

It probably is the ark. But who would believe it even if they dug it out and sailed the seas. Even if they found proof of all the animals on it. People would find a way to disaprove it. There was not one entry here of anyone at least giving the discovery a chance. Why?
Because we would rather not believe then believe because where all afraid of being let down.

i am not going to say that god does/doesn't exist, absence of evidence is not evidence of absence, as with anything else, is the case with god. just bcause there is a big boat or pile of wood up on a mountain, it does not prove god exists, hell, it doesnt even prove noah existed. it could be there from any number of reasons (it might not even be a boat). i think that the story of noahs ark is symbolic of a time of a great disaster like a flood, when mankind, and animalkind, may have been greatly reduced in numbers, the story's moral is to try to help not only our own kind but others as well. if all are suffering from something help 'em out. but thats just my take on it.

"There's this idea, if we can prove that the ark existed then we can prove that the story existed, and more importantly, we can prove that God existed," said Bruce Feiler, author of "Where God Was Born."

Even if an arc or ship is found, how does that prove that the biblical god exists? if anything it proves that the summerian god ENKI exists, who warns Ziusudra about the flood and instructs him to build the "Arc" the ORIGINAL story actually makes more sense, as the flood last 7 days, and its basically only his farm animals and friends and family (not all creature pairs of the world). please not that the summerian flood stories are the original versions later borrowed by the bible writters thousands of years later!

As for evidence of the flood actually happening, there is plenty of physical and scientific evidence that this NATURAL event occured, (gates of gibralter was a natural land dam that burst during the end of the last Ice age, flooding the mediterranian basin) about 7-11 thousand years ago.

lol were you being sarcastic or something? If you really believed, you would have a little faith=)