How big would an ark really have to be to house two of every species?

Question

I am confused about this. I believe in the Bible, but this Noah's Ark story seems like it couldn't possibly be true! What about all the bugs? Did Noah keep them in glass jars or something? Wouldn't they have died?
How long would it take to find two of every species on earth? What about space for them to exercise? ...

Answer 1

Hello sweet Kayla.. :)

Could Noah's Ark really hold all the animals that were supposed to be preserved from Flood?

A growing number of scientists believe that geological evidence indicates our world has undergone a catastrophic flood. This is causing them to question whether or not the biblical account of Noah's ark could be true. Many people are rereading the Biblical description of the Ark to ascertain the feasibility of such a vessel to fulfill its designated purpose in light of present day knowledge of both zoology and our present day knowledge of shipbuilding.

Size comparison between average size one-story home and Noah's Ark. Illustration from The World that Perished.How big was Noah's Ark?

"And God said unto Noah… Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt though make in the ark, and thou shalt pitch it within and without with pitch. And this is the fashion which thou shalt make it of… the length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, the breadth of it fifty cubits, and the height of it thirty cubits. A window shalt thou make in the ark, and in a cubit shalt thou finish it above; and the door of the ark shalt thou set in the side therof; with lower, second, and third stories shalt thou make it." (Gen. 6:14-16)

A cubit is the distance between an adult's elbow and tip of the finger, no less than 18-inches [45.72 centimeters]. (Scene from The World that Perished.)Most Hebrew scholars believe the cubit to have been no less than 18 inches long [45.72 centimeters]. This means that the ark would have been at least 450 feet long [137.16 meters], 75 feet wide [22.86 meters] and 45 feet high [13.716000000000001 meters]. Noah's Ark was said to have been the largest sea-going vessel ever built until the late nineteenth century when giant metal ships were first constructed. Its length to width ratio of six to one provided excellent stability on the high seas. In fact, modern shipbuilders say it would have been almost impossible to turn over. In every way, it was admirably suited for riding out the tremendous storms in the year of the flood.

These dimensions are especially interesting when compared to those given in the mythical, Babylonian account of the Ark. Here the ark is described as a perfect cube, extending 120 cubits in all directions and with nine decks. Such a vessel would spin slowly round and round in the water and from the standpoint of stability, would be a disaster.

Was the ark big enough to hold the number of animals required?
The total available floor space on the ark would have been over 100,000 square feet, which would be more floor space than in 20 standard-sized basketball courts.

Assuming an 18-inch cubit [45.72 centimeters], Noah's Ark would have had a cubic volume equal to 569 modern railroad stock cars.The total cubic volume would have been 1,518,000 cubic feet [462,686.4 cubic meters] --that would be equal to the capacity of 569 modern railroad stock cars.

Now comes the question, how many land dwelling air breathing animals would have had to be taken aboard the ark to survive the flood?

According to Ernest Mayr, America's leading taxonomist, there are over 1 million species of animals in the world.

God only provided the Ark for the protection of humans and land-dwelling, air-breathing creatures. A huge number of animals would not need to be taken aboard the Ark because they are water dwellers. Representatives would be expected to survive the catastrophe. With God's protection against extinction during the Deluge, survival would have been assured. (Scene from The World that Perished, a Christian motion picture about the Flood)However, the vast majority of these are capable of surviving in water and would not need to be brought aboard the ark. Noah need make no provision for the 21,000 species of fish or the 1,700 tunicates (marine chordates like sea squirts) found throughout the seas of the world, or the 600 echinoderms including star fish and sea urchins, or the 107,000 mollusks such as mussels, clams and oysters, or the 10,000 coelenterates like corals and sea anemones, jelly fish and hydroids or the 5,000 species of sponges, or the 30,000 protozoans, the microscopic single-celled creatures.

In addition, some of the mammals are aquatic. For example, the whales, seals and porpoises. The amphibians need not all have been included, nor all the reptiles, such as sea turtles, and alligators. Moreover, a large number of the arthropods numbering 838,000 species, such as lobsters, shrimp, crabs and water fleas and barnacles are marine creatures. And the insect species among arthropoda are usually very small. Also, many of the 35,000 species of worms as well as many of the insects could have survived outside the Ark.

How many animals needed to be brought aboard?
Doctors Morris and Whitcomb in their classic book,The Genesis Flood state that no more than 35,000 individual animals needed to go on the ark. In his well documented book, Noah's Ark: A Feasibility Study, John Woodmorappe suggests that far fewer animals would have been transported upon the ark. By pointing out that the word "specie" is not equivalent to the "created kinds" of the Genesis account, Woodmorappe credibly demonstrates that as few as 2,000 animals may have been required on the ark. To pad this number for error, he continues his study by showing that the ark could easily accommodate 16,000 animals.)

But, let's be generous and add on a reasonable number to include extinct animals. Then add on some more to satisfy even the most skeptical. Let's assume 50,000 animals, far more animals than required, were on board the ark, and these need not have been the largest or even adult specimens.

Remember there are really only a few very large animals, such as the dinosaur or the elephant, and these could be represented by young ones. Assuming the average animal to be about the size of a sheep and using a railroad car for comparison, we note that the average double-deck stock car can accommodate 240 sheep. Thus, three trains hauling 69 cars each would have ample space to carry the 50,000 animals, filling only 37% of the ark. This would leave an additional 361 cars or enough to make 5 trains of 72 cars each to carry all of the food and baggage plus Noah's family of eight people. The Ark had plenty of space.

The bigger problem would have been the construction of the Ark. But the Bible indicates that Noah did this under Divine guidance and there is no reason to believe he did not hire additional workmen.

How were the animals gathered?

Another enormous problem some have posed is the problem of gathering specimens of each kind of air-breathing land animal and bringing them aboard the Ark. However, the Genesis account indicates that God gathered the animals and brought them to Noah inside the ark two by two. Some have suggested this may have involved the origin of animal migratory instincts or, at least, an intensification of it. We also know that most animals possess the ability to sense danger and to move to a place of safety.

How could Noah's family take care of all those animals?

Noah with the animals, as depicted in the motion picture, The World that Perished.Once aboard, many have suggested that Noah's problems really began, with only 8 people to feed and water, to provide fresh air and sanitation for the huge menagerie of animals for a total of 371 days. However, a number of scientists have suggested that the animals may have gone into a type of dormancy. It has been said that in nearly all groups of animals there is at least an indication of a latent ability to hibernate or aestivate. Perhaps these abilities were supernaturally intensified during this period. With their bodily functions reduced to a minimum, the burden of their care would have been greatly lightened.

Conclusion:
It is evident, when all the facts are examined that there is no scientific evidence that the biblical account of Noah's ark is a myth or fable. The facts support the view that Noah's ark was large enough to carry the number of animals required to repopulate the earth after the flood and that Noah and his family were capable of caring for the animals during their time on the Ark.

Here is the site that I found that answers your question.. :)

http://christiananswers.net/q-eden/edn-c013.html


In Jesus Most Precious Name..
With Love..In Christ.. :)

Answer 2

There were no bugs on the ark, only animals with breath in their nostrils. Today species means variations within the same kind, and can be numerous. Back then Noah was told to gather one pair of each kind-not specie. There is lots of difference. For instance in the dog family, he only had one pair to represent the whole tribe. He did not have a dog, a dingo, a wolf, coyote, and so on-they are all from the same family.
Also we don't know how big the ark was. The Bible says it was 300 cubits long. We do not know how big a pre-flood cubit was. It could have been more than 4 feet, or it could have been less. The cubit today is 1.5 feet, that is the distance from the elbow to the finger tip on an average person. Noah could have been 15 feet tall, we don't know. There are many ancient human skeletons in excess of 13 feet.
Many scientist have concluded that it would be possible to place a pair of all living kinds on a large boat with plenty of room for supplies. It is not impossible.

Answer 3

You all know that this very calculating and science and math-inspired, and "species" vs "genus conversation is about something that is imaginary, right?. A fairy tale copied from another fairy tale. So, whether or not they had to load up all the animals at 1/10th of a second at a time, they would theoretically have enough food, (some of the animals would be in the ocean anyway), etc,. etc. it's all moot! It's made up! It's a fairy tale concocted by a bunch of "religious" men thousands of years ago to try to explain things that they did not understand in a scientific context, but rather a religious or supernatural context, which was ll they had. We have the benefit of thousands of years of science and observation, and we debate whether or not the Ark was cylindrical, rectangular, or like it is portrayed in the pictures as imagined by those who originated the story. It didn't happen!

Answer 4

Species is a 'modern' term with a 'modern' definition. If you have one group of finches that don't interbreed with another group of finches they belong to different species, simply because they do not interbreed (this is apart from the fact if it is possible or not for them to interbreed)

So it is obious that Noah did not need to take two of every modern day species into his ark. The Bible says he had to take two of every kind of (land dwelling, air breathing) animal. so that narrows it down to quite a lot less animals. For further reading check the sources.

Answer 5

I believe all the animals were still very young for them to all fit in the ark.
They were in the ark almost a year so by the time they left the ark they could possible be ready to reproduce again.
Remember,there is nothing impossible for God !

Answer 6

Consider this possibility, other than the fact that it is stated in the bible the actual size, throughout time, animals have evolved, breeding new species. Could it be that maybe at that time, only the important animals were needed to be kept safe in order to start out the new breeds again through maybe cross-breeding, or evolution of animals? I think it to be very possible.

Answer 7

It would be huge. And, to add to this---------many of the animals (considered the clean-Kosher-animals) there were 7 of each. This gave food while on the ark, and ones to sacrifice to G-d upon reaching safety.

Answer 8

I don't know how big the ark was, but the other day while I was in line at the grocery store I picked up the National Inquirer and learned that a Japanese fishing ship had caught a whale and when they opened it up they found the remains of Jonah.

Answer 9

5000 cubits by 3000

Answer 10

It is estimated that there were aproximately 16,000 species of mamals alive on earth during the "Time of Moses" with an average size of sheep. that would be about 32000 if you only took two of each, but he took two of each unclean and seven of each clean animals. so the count might have been closer to 40000 sheep. you could carry them on a boat the size of an aircraft carrier, with all their food, perhaps two nimitz class aircraft carriers.

The real question is how did 8 people shovel all that poop overboard everyday? how did the carnivores eat? how did they get exercise? wasn't that a floating methane bomb? a dogwood boat with only one window?

Answer 11

Genesis 6 will tell you the size of the ark. It was exactly the size God needed it to be. All these little human problems, that is why God is God and we are not. He is God, He made it happen, He will always make it happen just as He plans. That is called faith.