FIRST ON FOX: Researchers investigating a site in Turkey long believed by some to be the resting place of Noah’s Ark have recovered what they describe as charred wood fragments from deep beneath the surface — and they shared exclusive photos and video of the findings with Fox News Digital.
The Noah’s Ark Research Project, which involves researchers affiliated with Turkish universities, has spent the last year collecting soil samples at the Durupınar site near Mount Ararat in eastern Turkey.
Durupınar, a boat-shaped formation identified in 1959, has drawn speculation for many years over a possible connection to Noah’s Ark — an assertion that geologists have resisted.
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In a 1996 paper, geologists Lorence Gene Collins and David Franklin Fasold disputed claims that the Durupinar Formation was Noah’s Ark, arguing instead that it was “a natural rock structure.”
But the findings haven’t deterred researchers from continuing to investigate the site.
A university-backed project is now using deep-core drilling, ground-penetrating radar and laboratory analysis to examine the formation, including newly recovered wood fragments.
The investigation has also involved radar surveys conducted by scientist Khosrow Bakhtar. The project says the scientist has reported identifying organized patterns and possible chambers and corridors beneath the roughly 515-foot-long formation.
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Researchers, meanwhile, have sent the recovered wood fragments for carbon-14 dating and species identification, while lab analysis of hundreds of soil and core samples remains underway.
The fragments have not been independently linked to Noah’s Ark, and laboratory testing has yet to establish their age or origins.
Exclusive photos shared with Fox News Digital show several darkened, cracked fragments that researchers identify as charred wood, some of which appear to have visible grain patterns and growth rings.
Speaking to Fox News Digital from Turkey, archaeologist Cenker Atila, who is overseeing the investigation, said the team recovered the fragments some 30 feet beneath the surface of the Durupınar formation.
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Though the laboratory results on the wood’s age are not yet available, Atila said that, in his professional opinion, the fragments “are very ancient.”
Atila, a professor of archaeology at Sivas Cumhuriyet University in Turkey, pointed to several features of the formation that he believes support the possibility of a connection to Noah’s Ark.
“Too many coincidences have come together to be ignored,” he said. “The ship-shaped formation was found in the location described in the holy books. Its dimensions are consistent with those mentioned in the holy books, and its shape resembles a ship.”
Atila added, “The holy books describe Noah’s Ark as having three levels, and the Durupinar formation also appears to have a three-level structure.”
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Atila said carbon content inside the formation is higher than outside it, another observation he believes supports the team’s theory.
“After presenting all this evidence, I leave it to those who read these reports to decide what they believe,” he said.
But Atila acknowledged that many unanswered questions remain.
“Are the corridor-like and room-like structures actually parts of a ship? Do the wood fragments really belong to the ship? Will we find any traces of human or animal remains in the soil analyses? These are all very exciting questions, and I am eagerly awaiting the results,” he said.
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The researchers believe the wood discovery could mark a breakthrough in their efforts to determine whether the Durupınar formation is the remains of Noah’s Ark.
Lauren Witzke, director of marketing and fundraising for Noah’s Ark Scans, told Fox News Digital that she believes the discovery proves “that this is not just a geological structure,” challenging the long-held argument that the formation is natural.
Witzke said that the project marks the first time research at the Durupınar formation has been conducted with official Turkish oversight, documented chain-of-custody procedures and independent laboratory testing.
Witzke said she believes the discovery could have far-reaching religious and historical implications if ultimately linked to the biblical vessel.
“We won’t know until we start getting results back from the labs,” she said.
“However, with that being said, it is world shaking. It’s a world-shaking discovery.”
Looking ahead, Witzke said the wood samples have been sent to four laboratories in four different countries for testing, with the team hoping to pursue further excavation in 2027.
Once the results from the wood, soil and core samples are available, Atila plans to apply for additional excavation permits, she said.
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“We do believe that we have a very good chance to continue the research and excavate next year,” Witzke said.
The team also hopes its ongoing research will help address skepticism surrounding the site’s possible connection to Noah’s Ark.
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Witzke said the project is crowdfunded and that researchers plan to share laboratory results and other findings with the public through their website, NoahsArkScans.com, as the investigation progresses.
“We’ve been under a lot of scrutiny because we’ve been releasing the evidence as we go,” she said. “As soon as it’s confirmed by experts, we [will] share it with the world.”
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In a previous interview with Fox News Digital, Andrew Jones, lead researcher with Noah’s Ark Scans, acknowledged the team still had “a lot of work to do” before drawing conclusions about the site.
As a Christian, Jones said he believes in the biblical account but understands why some remain skeptical of the project.
“I can understand because I have friends who are atheists or agnostic, and they think that I’m looking for Santa’s house or something,” he said.
“We still have the lab work to do,” added Jones.
“And I hope everyone can follow along and see what we find.”