Noah's Ark an engineering masterpiece!

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Cmass
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Noah's Ark an engineering masterpiece!

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Post by Cmass »

What assumptions must be made. Part 1:

What scientific and engineering assumptions must we make about the story of Noah's Ark that would render the story a true fact?
* Can we make assumptions that are based soundly in science that could render the story plausible?
* What gaps in the story must we fill in?

* Christians, what assumptions have you made about the flood story that has kept it alive for you over the years?

We could discuss the science of the flood - but I think it would help to concentrate on one thing at a time: In this case the ship itself and it's ability to contain all the animals 2 by 2 and deal with waves and being shipwrecked on a mountain etc...

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Re: Noah's Ark an engineering masterpiece!

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Post by Confused »

Cmass wrote:What assumptions must be made. Part 1:

What scientific and engineering assumptions must we make about the story of Noah's Ark that would render the story a true fact?
* Can we make assumptions that are based soundly in science that could render the story plausible?
* What gaps in the story must we fill in?

* Christians, what assumptions have you made about the flood story that has kept it alive for you over the years?

We could discuss the science of the flood - but I think it would help to concentrate on one thing at a time: In this case the ship itself and it's ability to contain all the animals 2 by 2 and deal with waves and being shipwrecked on a mountain etc...
I dont' mean to spoil this, but I don't think we can make any sound scientific assumption that could make it true. First one must consider the technical design that would have to go into making such a stucture that would enable it to not only hold the people, all the animals, and enough supplies to survive for the duration, but also withstand the elements "weather" and not to mention, oh yea......FLOAT. I don't know that technology exists today to even allow for such a structure. And that is just the structure of the ark itself. Not to mention the ability for Noah to command every animal to follow his exact directions, and be good little lambs and lions and behave while aboard the ark. Then he would have to ensure none of the females were in heat or in danger of going into heat while they are contained on this structure, because if eve could get adam to condemn man without even using female persuasion, can you imagine how fast the ark would sink if you had many females species without the ability to even attempt to restrain their sexuality acting out their animalistic instincts. Then Noah has to be able to keep all these animals healthy because if one dies, their entire species will become extinct. So each animal must be healthy and capable of bearing offspring.

I don't see how it would be possible to bridge any gaps or use science to render the ark a sound concept at all.
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Post #3

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And we are off to a roaring start!
Thanks Confused. You did not spoil anything, you simply did not put your answer in list format:
*
First one must consider the technical design that would have to go into making such a stucture that would enable it to not only hold the people, all the animals, and enough supplies to survive for the duration, but also withstand the elements "weather" and not to mention, oh yea......FLOAT.
Have you studied the design of Noah's Ark given in the bible? Would such a vessel be capable of such a feat? If not, then what must we assume about it in order to make it function - either supernatural or super-engineering?
* I don't know that technology exists today to even allow for such a structure.
Are you sure of this? Some oil tankers are absolutely massive. There are plans in the works for a floating city-ship that is over a mile long and can carry 50,000 people. But did this technology exist back then in some secret form?

* Not to mention the ability for Noah to command every animal to follow his exact directions, and be good little lambs and lions and behave while aboard the ark.
* Then he would have to ensure none of the females were in heat or in danger of going into heat while they are contained on this structure, because if eve could get adam to condemn man without even using female persuasion, can you imagine how fast the ark would sink if you had many females species without the ability to even attempt to restrain their sexuality acting out their animalistic instincts.
* Then Noah has to be able to keep all these animals healthy because if one dies, their entire species will become extinct. So each animal must be healthy and capable of bearing offspring.
I don't see how it would be possible to bridge any gaps or use science to render the ark a sound concept at all.
Drugs for the animals? Genetic engineering to keep the offspring from only 2 animals healthy? etc... These are the assumptions I am looking for.

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Post #4

Post by Chem »

What scientific and engineering assumptions must we make about the story of Noah's Ark that would render the story a true fact?
* Can we make assumptions that are based soundly in science that could render the story plausible?
* What gaps in the story must we fill in?
Size is everything :lol: !

Hopefully I haven't jumped the gun and a little off the point but genetics could help regarding the animal situation on board the Ark. The cheetah nearly went extinct in the recent past (c. 10,000 years ago) and due to the bottleneck created by climate change, cheetahs today are almost genetically identical because of the lack of breeding population left after the Ice Age http://lynx.uio.no/jon/lynx/cheetahg.htm

Bearing this in mind and the fact that the flood occurred in the more recent past (!) all other animals on board the Ark (except the poor unicorns) should be genetically similar to each other due to this unfortunate disaster. :-k

I'm sure somebody with far more information and insight regarding the genetic diversity of the animal populations can clear this point up.
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Post #5

Post by Cathar1950 »

From the Smothers brothers;
"Lovely Joan of Ark. For 40 days and 40 night wap wap wap, I got to build this boat and get these animals in".

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Post #6

Post by Cmass »

OK, so here is what we have so far:

* The ability for Noah to command every animal to follow his exact directions, and be good little lambs and lions and behave while aboard the ark.
* None of the females were in heat or in danger of going into heat while they are contained on this structure, because if eve could get adam to condemn man without even using female persuasion, can you imagine how fast the ark would sink if you had many females species without the ability to even attempt to restrain their sexuality acting out their animalistic instincts.
* Be able to keep all these animals healthy because if one dies, their entire species will become extinct. So each animal must be healthy and capable of bearing offspring.
* such a stucture that would enable it to not only hold the people, all the animals, and enough supplies to survive for the duration, but also withstand the elements "weather"
* genetics could help regarding the animal situation on board the Ark. (too keep future generations healthy etc..)

More?

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Post #7

Post by Chad »

You would need someone to clean/dispose of all the animals "waste". Well, maybe not I suppose. The boat would be pretty disgusting at the end :D

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Post #8

Post by Cathar1950 »

Hybernation guys.
I have seen that used as evidence. The reason animals hybernate today is because it is a throw back to when God had to put them all asleep in the Ark. It is all so clear. Hbernation means no food needed or clean up because you would have a bunch of fat sleeping animals. And you can stack them.
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I should write for a Christian think-tank.

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Post #9

Post by Cmass »

I have seen that used as evidence. The reason animals hybernate today is because it is a throw back to when God had to put them all asleep in the Ark.
Are you serious? I have not heard that before. :lol:

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Post #10

Post by Cathar1950 »

Cmass wrote:
I have seen that used as evidence. The reason animals hybernate today is because it is a throw back to when God had to put them all asleep in the Ark.
Are you serious? I have not heard that before. :lol:
Yes I have read it in some Creationist books.
More then twice.

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