Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!think.com!sdd.hp.com!cs.utexas.edu!rutgers!dimacs.rutgers.edu!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: @vm.cc.purdue.edu:XWUU@PURCCVM Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Re: Noahs Ark Message-ID: Date: 19 May 91 02:56:15 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Organization: Purdue University Lines: 22 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu The climate of mount Ararat in Turkey is dry and cold most of the year 'round. There is always ice and snow in the higher altitudes. It is not at all unlikely that good wood preserved in some sort of tar or pitch and further sealed in ice or prevented from decay by low humidity would still be around after 4000-5000 years. We have examples of seeds, wood, and even complete animal bodies being preserved in similar conditions for 1000-5000 years. Mammoths have been found "fresh-frozen" in the region of Siberia - completely intact (and edible). I believe that a complete baby mammoth was found in a mountainous region of Alaska around 20 years ago; conditions similar to thr higher altitudes of Turkey. In the recent past, several expeditions have attempted to find Noah's ark on this mountain. Some have outright failed to find it; others have been denied access by the Turkish government (with added input from the soviets). It is interesting to note that the Islamic world does not call this mountain "Ararat;" the Quran manitains that the ark landed on another Mount Ararat that is many miles away. Imagine the implications to muslims all over the world if Noah's ark were found at the current sight! It would mean that the Quran was in error - it is supposed to be the very book Allah has in heaven and was given directly to the Prophet without error. Is it any wonder that there are so many obstacles in getting permission to travel to and explore the mountain?