{
  "id": 10977861,
  "title": "What 1996 Study Said About 'Noah's Ark' Site",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/30/what-1996-study-said-about-noahs-ark-site",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-30T16:01:19.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Newsweek",
    "slug": "newsweek",
    "url": "https://www.newsweek.com/what-1996-study-said-about-noahs-ark-site-12507519"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In 1996, two researchers, geologist Lorence Gene Collins and Ark researcher David Franklin Fasold, concluded that a famous boat-shaped formation in Turkey is not Noah's Ark. They believed the structure is a completely natural rock formation, not man-made. However, a team of modern researchers revisited the site in 2021, using advanced methods to test their initial findings. The current team, including Andrew Jones of Noah's Ark Scans and Dr. Khosrow Bakhtar from Bakhtar Research and Engineering LLC, is drilling deeper into the formation, reaching depths of up to 18 meters, to examine physical samples. The 1996 study, published in the Journal of Geoscience Education, argued that the formation's boat-like shape and other structures were the result of natural geological processes, not man-made design. The researchers found that wood and other materials claimed to be part of the structure were actually naturally occurring. They also noted that the formation's dimensions matched the descriptions in the Biblical story and ancient Mesopotamian texts, but these were considered circumstantial evidence. While the current researchers are hopeful that their findings will provide a clearer answer to the question of whether the formation is Noah's Ark, they acknowledge that the investigation is still ongoing.",
  "summary": "Newsweek has revisited what a 1996 study found in a formation where oah's Ark hunters are looking for remains of the ship.",
  "key_points": [
    "1996 study concluded boat-shaped formation in Turkey is not Noah's Ark",
    "2021 researchers revisited site using advanced methods",
    "Current team drilling 18 meters deep to examine physical samples"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}