For decades, one unusual formation in eastern Turkey has kept the search for Noah’s Ark alive.

From above, the massive formation resembles the outline of a ship. Stretching roughly 538 feet, or 164 meters, it sits near Doğubayazıt in Turkey’s Ağrı province, not far from Mount Ararat.

For those searching for physical evidence of the biblical story of Noah’s Ark, the location has long seemed intriguing.

Now, a new research project says its first core drilling operation has produced findings that could make the site even more interesting.

Researchers say they collected hundreds of soil samples from the formation and found dark, organic-rich material. Ground-penetrating radar has also reportedly revealed features that the team believes could potentially resemble human-made structures.

But there is a major question that remains unanswered.

Is the Durupınar formation actually connected to Noah’s Ark?

So far, there is no scientific confirmation.

While the researchers believe their findings justify further investigation, geologists who have studied the formation continue to argue that it was created naturally.

The Mysterious Formation Near Mount Ararat

The Durupınar formation is located near Doğubayazıt in eastern Turkey, in Ağrı province.

It became widely known in 1959 after Turkish army captain İlhan Durupınar noticed the unusual formation.

The structure measures approximately 538 feet, or 164 meters, in length.

What makes it especially unusual is its shape.

Viewed from certain angles, the formation appears remarkably similar to the outline of a large ship.

Its location has also contributed to the mystery.

The Bible describes Noah’s Ark as coming to rest in the “mountains of Ararat,” and the Durupınar formation lies in the broader region associated with Mount Ararat.

That combination of shape and location has attracted Ark researchers for decades.

However, resemblance alone cannot establish that a geological formation is actually an ancient vessel.

That is why the latest investigation is focusing on what may be hidden beneath the surface.

Researchers Drill Into the Formation

The newest project is being led by Sivas Cumhuriyet University in partnership with Noah’s Ark Scans.

Andrew Jones, the project’s deputy head, says researchers drilled cores at more than a dozen locations across the formation.

They also collected more than 300 soil samples.

According to Jones, the drilling did not encounter solid bedrock at the locations examined.

Instead, the cores reportedly contained soil, including very dark material described as rich in organic matter.

That finding has attracted attention because researchers are interested in whether the material could provide clues about the formation’s history.

Jones has also pointed to a soil study conducted in 2024.

According to his description of the study, samples taken from inside the formation contained roughly three times more organic matter than samples collected outside it.

The research team believes this difference could be significant.

Their hypothesis is that if wooden material had once existed within the structure, its gradual decay might have contributed to increased organic material in the surrounding soil.

But this remains a hypothesis.

Organic material can have many natural sources, meaning laboratory testing will be necessary before researchers can determine what the samples actually reveal.

Radar Scans Raise More Questions

The research team has also examined the formation using ground-penetrating radar.

According to the researchers, the scans detected features that appeared to include right angles, layered structures, and possible voids.

Those observations have caught the team’s attention because regular geometric patterns can sometimes be associated with human-made structures.

However, the radar findings have not yet been fully reported.

That means there is currently no confirmed evidence that the apparent structures were constructed by people.

The researchers believe the findings are worth investigating, but further analysis will be necessary to determine whether the shapes are artificial or simply the result of natural geological processes.

The Samples Are Now Headed to Laboratories

The next stage of the project will involve laboratory analysis.

The collected samples are being sent to Ankara University, with researchers from Sivas University also involved in the examination.

The team wants to determine whether the soil contains evidence of human activity or materials that could be consistent with decayed wood.

This stage could be particularly important.

Rather than relying only on the formation’s unusual appearance, researchers will have physical samples that can be examined scientifically.

The team reportedly hopes that the laboratory work will provide clearer answers during the winter.

Andrew Jones has emphasized that archaeology deals with probabilities rather than immediate certainty.

That approach is particularly relevant in a case where researchers are attempting to interpret a geological formation that has been debated for decades.

Why Geologists Remain Skeptical

Despite the excitement surrounding the new research, the scientific community has not accepted the Durupınar formation as Noah’s Ark.

Geologists have previously offered a natural explanation for the unusual structure.

Lorence Collins of California State University, Northridge, and the late David Fasold, a former Ark researcher, argued in a 1996 paper published in the Journal of Geoscience Education that the formation was created through natural geological processes.

Their explanation involved erosion and mudflows shaping the surrounding material into its unusual form.

Other geologists have also described the formation as natural.

Interestingly, skepticism has not come only from secular scientists.

Researchers from both secular and young-earth creationist perspectives have questioned the idea that the Durupınar formation represents the remains of Noah’s Ark.

This makes the current research particularly interesting.

The debate is not simply between people who believe the biblical story and people who do not.

It is also about whether the physical evidence at the site can demonstrate human construction.

Has Noah’s Ark Been Found?

The short answer is no.

At least, not scientifically.

The latest drilling project has produced samples and observations that the research team believes support the need for additional investigation.

The researchers point to several details:

More than 300 soil samples were collected.

The drilling reportedly did not reach solid bedrock at the examined locations.

The cores reportedly contained dark, organic-rich soil.

A previous soil study reportedly found more organic material inside the formation than outside it.

Ground-penetrating radar reportedly detected right angles, layers, and possible voids.

But none of those observations, individually or collectively at this stage, establishes that the formation is Noah’s Ark.

The laboratory results have not yet provided a definitive answer.

Why the New Research Still Matters

Even if the Durupınar formation ultimately turns out to be entirely natural, the new investigation could still help researchers understand the site better.

The formation has attracted attention for more than half a century, and its unusual shape has made it one of the most recognizable locations associated with the search for Noah’s Ark.

Modern drilling and laboratory techniques can provide information that was not previously available.

Soil analysis may help clarify how the formation developed.

Radar imaging may reveal more about its internal structure.

Geological analysis could help distinguish natural layers from features that might require another explanation.

In that sense, the research does not need to prove the Ark story to be scientifically useful.

It can also help resolve questions about the formation itself.

A Mystery That Continues

The search for Noah’s Ark has lasted for generations.

Stories of expeditions, unusual formations, possible artifacts, and alleged discoveries have repeatedly captured public attention.

The Durupınar formation has remained one of the most persistent subjects of that search because of its unusual shape and location.

Now, researchers are once again looking beneath its surface.

The first core drilling has provided hundreds of samples for further analysis.

The team believes some of the findings are intriguing.

Geologists remain skeptical.

And the evidence is not yet strong enough to settle the debate.

That uncertainty is important.

Extraordinary archaeological claims require extraordinary evidence, especially when attempting to connect a physical structure to an ancient religious narrative.

For now, the Durupınar formation remains an intriguing mystery rather than a confirmed archaeological discovery.

What Happens Next?

The most important evidence may come from the laboratories.

Researchers will examine the soil samples to determine what types of organic material are present and whether there are signs that could indicate human activity.

The radar data will also need to be fully analyzed.

If the researchers identify evidence that cannot be adequately explained by natural geological processes, the case could become more interesting.

If the evidence instead matches known geological processes, it would support the long-standing conclusion that the formation is natural.

Either way, the results could help bring greater clarity to a mystery that has fascinated researchers and the public for decades.

For now, one thing remains certain.

A 538-foot formation in eastern Turkey continues to look remarkably like a ship.

Whether that resemblance points to one of history’s most famous stories—or simply to the power of natural geology—is a question researchers are still trying to answer.

And until the laboratory results and further analysis are complete, Noah’s Ark remains a possibility for some researchers, not a confirmed discovery.