Is the Noah's Ark story even possible ... geologically?

Question

If 40 days of rain flooded the entire Earth, where did all the water go afterwards? It couldn't have simply all evaporated away!

What about waterfowl? They wouldn't die, they would simply swim on the surface of the water, diving for the odd fish, and wait it out, wouldn't they?

And what about volcanoes? Did the water rise over the tops of all the volcanoes and snuff them all out?

And what about the Matterhorn? Did the water rise over top of the tallest mountain? I don't think it could ever rain THAT much!

And, when it started raining, didn't the water level rise gradually with the rain? Or did it just instantly drown everything on the planet the first day and then for 40 days it was totally off the charts?

Don't Christians ever wonder these things?

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So, Caesar's wife - despite all the above inconsistencies, you still believe it all happened, without question? Why?
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Answer 1

"those who believe the bible to be the *literal* word of god are committing intellectual suicide"
Pope JPII

most major civilizations have references to a catastrophic flood. I do not think it was the flood described in the bible. I have seen speculation postulating a large comet (they are mostly ice, hence we see comet tails on approach to sun, when some of the comet is evaporated and blown off by solar wind) collided with earth and caused a catastrophic flood, but it could not have contained enough water to do the damage described in the bible. Heat of the collision would have evaporated it, putting water vapor in the atmosphere, which would later precipitate as rain. The water we have on earth now actually did come from collisions with such comets in the early phase of earth formation.
Just a friendly correction, Matterhorn is in Europe, and while tall, not as tall at Mt Everest (the tallest mountain) in The Himalayas. Wooden vessel of the size mentioned in the bible would have collapsed under its own weight when floating on water.
Anyhow, you know how it is when stories get told and retold ? What is the animal with the fastest growth rate in the world?
A:fish, the growth rate mentioned occurs between the time it is caught and time the story of that event is told many times.

Answer 2

No way. Even IF we assume there was an omnipotent God who could make all the animals in world get on the boat, AND make the water come down, AND make the boat safe, AND get rid of the water, AND magically distribute the animals to the different parts of the earth, there are still so, so many more questions it begs.

Do Christians think about these things? Sure. Not all of them are Biblical literalists. In fact, some have an easier time accepting Noah's ark as an embellished story about faith, trust, hard work, etc., rather than thinking their God is a deceiving God who goes out of his way to make the earth look like the flood didn't happen.

Answer 3

Well, there are volcanos that are below sea level right now so they wouldn't be "snuffed out." In fact, the volcanos that created many islands are still active and creating more land right now.

Personally I believe the flood happened but not on the scale that the "Noah story" claims. The flood does not have to cover the mountain tops to be "nearly" total and surely there is not enough water to do that anyway.

And so, no, it is not geologically possible as it is told. But still
a very large flood is not only possible but has happened at other times in history as well.

Answer 4

WOW! I just watched _Waterworld_! It must be a sign from GOD.

The explaination I heard, which makes sense, is that it was the flooding of the Black Sea from the Mediterainian. They are now finding houses and such far below the surface of the Black Sea.

It was a local disaster, and turned into a metaphric story.

How many species of animals were sposed to be on that boat? How many cubits long? Not reality.

There is a story about those who think for themselves in the Bible. The ones who ate of Knowledge and got kicked out of the garden.

Answer 5

here's a flip side questions...

1) why are so many sea shell fossils found thousands of feet above sea level
2) why are so many fossils found in-total? Meaning why weren't the scavengers taking care of business.
3) why have fossils been found of animals struck down with while the two animals were fighing? (famous NatlGeo cover title of one with neck still in mouth)
4) and tell me again how many THOUSANDS of mamoths have been found in Siberia, many still with flower-cud in mouth
5) why is there an satellite anomoly found on the side of the the mountain the ark is supposed to be at? (Turkish government won't let any archeological expeditions clomb the mountain)
6) why does every culture have a flood story

don't folks who post anti-noah questions ever wonder these things?

as for where did the water go? well..read the story again...many an underground water reservoir burst forth, and there was the firmament in the sky (beleived to be a layer of ice crystals in the atmosphere) may have melted down.

See...much to consider on both sides.

Oh...and about the water fowl...the assumption in the question is that the storm was a gentle spring time rain fall that didn't do anything to the birds...ever seen a tropical storm? pretty sure I haven't seen any water fowl just simply swimming on the surface as if nothing was happening all around them.

Answer 6

do no longer ignore that bringing a species right down to 2 persons might make the species extra susceptible to extinction... why do this to each species on the earth?. How did the flora stay to tell the story being immersed in water for a hundred and twenty days? How did the sea creatures and the freshwater creatures stay on the recent ph stability of their environment? The room on the boat is the weakest argument. there are various stronger ones.

Answer 7

it wasnt just rain it talks of fountains of water ... i think there were some sudden geological changes that took place .. the bible describes the earth as having a different settup before the flood and implies there was a different layer of atmosphere made up of water vapor ... many things are possible ... melt the ice caps off and ur halfway there to flooding ... the bible also implies that it wasnt millions of years ago when the land was a single mass either .. it says the earth was devided in Pelegs days and that was after the flood ..

Answer 8

I'm not answering this question in religious perspective. Let's talk about science as in possibilities. We might not have that much water on the sky at any particular moment. But then, what if the ice caps in both of the poles melted? Will that be enough water to flood most of the world? There're speculation that the flood is locally concentrated around the middle-eastern area and there are those who said the flood is worldwide. No matter what, I think some major changes such as a big meteorite hitting the north poles might cause chaos like that. As for the waterfowls, I doubt they could survive if the water was chaotic as in big waves and whirlpools due to the chaotic cause of the flood. I'm only saying that the flood was possible...as to whether it really did happen...we will have to wait for science to tell us a very concrete and sure answer...

Answer 9

Bible says that the water went back to the earth, evaporated. Waterfowls will not have anyplace to land/rest/procreate if the entire earth is covered, would they? Do you know 70% of the earth is water? Scientists have calculated that if all the water in the sea/north south pole ice caps and underground water came out, earth would be covered by kilometres of water. Do you know that there are active underwater volcanoes even today? Yes, they get snuffed out, but when they exploded, their lava still flowed, I'm sure the temperature is too high for water to snuff them out instantly. New land is formed when they have cooled.

Answer 10

Good questions , but even science answers these and is in complete harmony with the Bible account of a world wide flood.

The water still is here , in the oceans , lakes , seas and in the polar ice caps.
It is all there , and science agrees.

Animals that are OK with water, fish etc , were obviously not required to enter into the ark for safety.

With the weight of the water on the surface of the ground (which is not as solid as you might think) pushed down in places forming larger oceans etc.

Whether or not the tallest tips of the uninhabitable icy mountains were covered , the Bible isn't that precise.

But the intended purpose , a world wide flood to destroy disobedient mankind , was done , and only those that followed the message that Noah preached were saved.

Soon there will be another world wide event to destroy disobedient mankind.
Just as in the story of Noah , only people following the direction of the true God Jehovah today will survive through.

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