Overview
- The Noah's Ark Scans-led expedition moved from remote sensing to physical investigation this week and has begun core drilling into the boat-shaped Durupınar Formation to reach anomalies detected by radar.
- Teams report recovering organic-rich layers from holes as deep as about 60 feet and say those samples are being sent for laboratory testing, including efforts to identify decayed wood and run radiocarbon dating.
- Advanced ground-penetrating radar used by the project, described as adapted from U.S. Air Force research, showed straight lines, right angles and large cavity-like anomalies that the team interprets as possible chambers, corridors and layered decks.
- Project leaders have publicly asserted the formation is man-made and some promoted the claim as '100 percent confirmed,' but no peer-reviewed analyses or independent scientific confirmations have yet been published.
- The team says it has permits and university oversight and plans to send a robotic probe called Gopher into drilled openings to capture video and samples while mainstream geologists continue to view Durupınar as likely a natural formation until independent tests are completed.