The Latest on the Noah’s Ark Discovery: What Researchers Are Finding in Turkey
The investigation at Turkey’s Durupınar site, which some researchers identify with the biblical Mount Ararat, has moved from scans and soil samples to drilling, core samples and underground exploration.
The story of Noah’s Ark is one of the most familiar accounts in the Bible. Genesis tells us that after the flood, the Ark came to rest “on the mountains of Ararat.”
For centuries, people have wondered whether the physical remains of the Ark might still exist somewhere in that region. Now, researchers are taking a closer look at a remarkable boat-shaped formation in eastern Turkey known as the Durupınar formation—and the investigation has entered a new phase, with researchers collecting core samples and investigating unusual features beneath the surface.
Here’s the latest—and how researchers got here.
*Last updated: September 28, 2026
September 28, 2026: Researchers Are Testing Core Samples From the Noah’s Ark Site
Researchers searching the Durupınar formation in Turkey are now testing material recovered from deep beneath the site after beginning a new round of core drilling and underground exploration last week.
The team says it has recovered core samples containing “layers of rich organic material” from depths of up to 18 meters and has deployed its small underground camera robot, Gopher, into the formation. Earlier radar and other geophysical surveys identified straight lines, angular intersections and possible enclosed spaces that researchers are now investigating more directly.
So far, the material has not been identified as wood. For those familiar with the story of Noah, Genesis 6:14 says God instructed Noah to build the Ark from “gopher wood.” The exact identity of gopher wood remains uncertain, with some Bible translations rendering it as cypress.
Researchers are sending the samples for laboratory analysis, which could provide some of the most important evidence yet in the investigation.
September 27, 2026: A Researcher’s Apartment Is Burglarized
Andrew Jones, founder of Noah’s Ark Scans, reported that his apartment was burglarized while he was away, with electronic equipment among the items taken. Jones said the research data had already been backed up and that he would not speculate about who was responsible.
September 26, 2026: Bear Grylls Visits the Site
Adventurer and television host Bear Grylls visited the Durupınar formation with a production team as the investigation continued. Reports indicate his team was filming a documentary project about the Noah’s Ark search.
Grylls has also been open about his Christian faith for years. In 2023, he was baptized in the Jordan River, describing it as a lifelong dream to be baptized in the same place where Jesus was baptized.
September 25, 2026: An Underground Robot Goes In
Researchers deployed Gopher, a small tracked camera robot designed to enter narrow underground spaces. Its initial attempt was limited by loose sediment, and the team said modifications would be needed before sending it farther into the formation.
September 24, 2026: The Drill Hits a Hard Layer
Core drilling hit an extremely hard, unidentified layer about 4–5 meters beneath the surface, reportedly breaking a drill bit. Researchers said petrified or highly mineralized wood was one possibility they wanted to investigate, but the material had not been identified.
Earlier in September: Radar Scans Reveal Unusual Features
Earlier geophysical surveys identified straight lines, angular intersections and other subsurface features that researchers interpreted as possible corridors or enclosed spaces. Those findings helped determine where the team would drill and investigate the formation more directly.
June 2026: A New Phase of Research Begins
The current investigation began with mapping, soil sampling and geophysical surveys at the Durupınar formation, involving archaeologist Cenker Atila and the Noah’s Ark Scans team. The project received authorization from Turkish authorities for the 2026 work.
What’s Next?
For now, researchers are waiting on the laboratory.
The drilling has produced physical samples, the underground exploration has begun, and researchers are continuing to investigate the unusual features beneath the formation. What those samples ultimately reveal could bring researchers one step closer to understanding whether this remarkable formation has any connection to the biblical account of Noah.
We’ll keep following the investigation as new findings emerge.
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