Durupınar project leads walk back viral "Ark proven" claims as lab wood tests remain pending

Prof. Dr. Cenker Atila of Sivas Cumhuriyet University, who directs the Durupınar Formation research project, said in late September that social-media posts claiming the Ark was "100 percent proven" do not fully reflect the results. Soil analysis is still underway. Atila said the team has reached important and surprising data but has not reached a conclusive finding, and that carbon-test results on samples are expected in about two to three months. Core samples were sent to laboratories in Ankara. Turkish coverage citing Anadolu Ajansı and Atila's own statement also noted that headlines claiming a definitive discovery are misleading, and that work continues under permits linked to Türkiye's Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change and the university.

Separately, Andrew Jones of Noah's Ark Scans told Newsweek on September 28 that the team has not identified any material as ancient wood or established its age, because no laboratory results are in yet. He said a drill bit broke on a hard layer about four to five meters down in one hole inside the formation, and that petrified or heavily mineralized wood is one possibility under test, alongside a hard rock block in the surrounding debris. Jones said that when an earlier release described organic layers as possible decayed remains of the Ark, he was describing a hypothesis being tested, not a finding. He added that organic matter can accumulate naturally in soils and slope deposits, and that even identifying ancient wood would not by itself establish human construction. Peer review, he said, is still ahead. Initial laboratory results are expected over the winter, with a more detailed scientific report aimed for spring 2027. A second field season is planned for 2027 if permits allow; Jones said the team is not announcing large-scale excavation.

This brief records those clarifications. It does not report that Noah's Ark has been found, identified, or dated. As of this check, no public third-party wood identification or radiocarbon results have been released, and no published findings from the planned GOPHER void-exploration drone were located.