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Could Noah's Ark have really happened ?

By T.K. Randall
April 5, 2014 · Comment icon 287 comments

Could Noah's Ark have stayed afloat ? Image Credit: Domenico Morelli
Scientists have calculated that fitting two of every animal on the ark may have actually been feasible.
Whether or not you believe that the events in the biblical tale of Noah's Ark literally happened, few could argue that the story has been subjected to a lot more scrutiny than most.

Now with the release of the new movie 'Noah' starring Russell Crowe, physics students at the University of Leicester set about trying to determine if the Ark would have been buoyant enough to keep two of every animal species on Earth afloat.
Basing their calculations on the measurements given in the Bible and the assumption that there are 35,000 unique species to account for, the team determined that the resulting vessel, measuring 144m long, would have been capable of carrying the full complement of 70,000 individual animals.

"You don't think of the Bible necessarily as a scientifically accurate source of information, so I guess we were quite surprised when we discovered it would work," said student Thomas Morris. "We're not proving that it's true, but the concept would definitely work."

Source: Independent | Comments (287)




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Recent comments on this story
Comment icon #278 Posted by spacecowboy342 10 years ago
If cousins have children, and on of the cousins has a genetic disorder?Then chances are the children will inherit the disorder. Pure breed dogs have more chances for genetic problems than mutts. That's the reason for sexual reproduction as opposed to asexual to begin with. I think the evolutionary reasons for genetic diversity go way back
Comment icon #279 Posted by davros of skaro 10 years ago
That's the reason for sexual reproduction as opposed to asexual to begin with. I think the evolutionary reasons for genetic diversity go way back You know it.
Comment icon #280 Posted by MissionAtlantis 10 years ago
One of the complaints I've long had on the Noah story is the oft quoted biblical timeline. Entirely bogus. Ussher's date for the Flood pegs it at 2348 BC, which is 3 years before the start of Egypt's 6th dynasty and 13 years before Sargon the Great conquered Sumer. If the world was supposed to be so empty after the Flood, then where did all those other people come from? Solution? Well, we could ignore the Bible altogether. We could, like atheists and Fundamentalists take the Bible literally and ignore everything else. Or we could find clues in the Bible that lead to a new timeline compatible w... [More]
Comment icon #281 Posted by Frank Merton 10 years ago
If cousins have children, and on of the cousins has a genetic disorder?Then chances are the children will inherit the disorder. Pure breed dogs have more chances for genetic problems than mutts. Dammit I know that. Read what I posted more carefully.
Comment icon #282 Posted by Doug1029 10 years ago
One of the complaints I've long had on the Noah story is the oft quoted biblical timeline. Entirely bogus. Two potential dates for The Flood are 2917 BC and 2807 BC, both based on an apparent climate-related disturbance in growth rings of bristlecone pines. But those are in California - if they are records of a world-wide disturbance, it would have to be something HUGE! But there are other chronologies that date back that far - I'll have to check them. I would have to agree that the biblical time line is all messed up, but if you've ever dated other biblical events, you already knew that. Anci... [More]
Comment icon #283 Posted by Bluefinger 10 years ago
At the supposed time of the flood there were humans living on most of the planet and the vast majority had not heard of the Christian God nor had their ancestors. God, upset because all the world did not worship him destroyed them all with a world wide flood thus committing genocide on a global level. The Bible didn't say that God was upset that mankind wasn't worshiping Him. He was upset because their thoughts were continually evil (and thus were their actions). Noah was the last one that was righteous and God was going to protect him and start new with humanity. The same story is found with ... [More]
Comment icon #284 Posted by Doug1029 10 years ago
Actually in most nations of the world today, you can marry and have children with a first cousin. In a few you can even marry and have children with a half sibling (with government approval). The biologists tell us that the more-closely related two individuals are, the greater their chances of raising healthy children, BUT the chnces of having a child with a birth defect is also greater. The optimum between these two conflicting facts seems to be second cousin. I used to know two people who met in college, fell passionately in love, and decided to get married. They had been sleeping together f... [More]
Comment icon #285 Posted by Frank Merton 10 years ago
Noah's ark and a global flood is just one of those stories that those who take it literally are in deep water.
Comment icon #286 Posted by Sean93 10 years ago
The version of the legends/myths we have originated in Sumeria/Mesopotamia. The oldest known copies in cuneiform date from about 1200 BC. The stories are obviously much older. What the originals said, we'll never know, unless some archeologist digs up something. So my explanation of the original list consisting of barnyard animals is as viable as the Bible's version of the story. AND: mine makes a lot more sense. The Bible simply "borrowed" the flood story body-and-soul from Sumer. That being said, the Bible's version of the story leaves some serious problems. How did the snake's descendents ... [More]
Comment icon #287 Posted by Doug1029 10 years ago
Maybe I'm just reading it wrong (I am just up) but do you think I believe in the story as a literal event? Yes. Not the way the Bible tells the story, but a monstrous flood did occur in the Near East about 2900 BC, give or take a few centuries. Bristlecone rings indicate two serious disruptions in 2917 BC and 2807 BC. Something big happened in those years. For the YECs: Oaks record a flood ring in the anatomy of the cells. Oaks are highly ring-porous with very distinct differences between early wood and late wood. Normal early wood has extremely large elements that disappear in the late wood. ... [More]


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