Scientists have linked four natural phenomena to Old Testament history
Research suggests that the parting of the Red Sea for Moses described in the Old Testament may not have been a miracle and may have occurred due to «meteorological phenomena.» The biblical miracle when Moses parted the waters of the Red Sea can be explained by science.
A new study suggests that Moses, who parted the Red Sea to allow the Israelites to escape from the Egyptians, may not have been a miracle worker at all, writes the Daily Mail.
The parting of the Red Sea is mentioned in the book of Exodus in the Old Testament of the Bible. This is the moment when Moses performs a miracle that allows the Israelites to escape from the Egyptian Pharaoh's men who were pursuing them.
But according to the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Leicester, four natural phenomena occurred that could explain the drying out of the area.
Students Rebecca Garratt and Rikesh Kunverjee argue that negative waves, easterly winds, tidal waves and so-called Rossby waves may have caused a surge of water large enough for people to cross the sea on foot.
In a paper published in the Journal of Interdisciplinary Topics, the scientists note: «Exploring the methods by which the waters may have receded to allow Moses to cross safely may depend on the presence of 'ideal' conditions, but are still physically feasible events. Meteorological phenomena are inherently unpredictable and can lead to chaotic chains of events resulting in extreme events that may have been perceived by outside observers as a «parting of the sea.»
«Whether it is a miraculous act of God or “due to some unlikely random phenomena discussed in this article, the probability of “separation” is not zero,” the authors of the publication believe.
An explanation may be a phenomenon called «wind slackening,» in which strong and sustained winds can lower water levels in one area while causing water to accumulate downwind.
The wind speed must be «significant» to keep water at bay for long periods, says the team of researchers.
This phenomenon has been documented and is said to be the opposite of storm surges.
However, another possibility exists that stronger than normal spring tides, combined with windy conditions, may have caused the water level to drop enough to create a dry zone that would have allowed Moses and the Israelites to cross.
The Gulf of Suez would have been the best place for Moses to cross because it is known for its large tidal fluctuations.
The team of researchers says: «Tidal resonance occurs when a sudden, unexpected external force, such as strong winds, excites one of the resonance modes in a local region of the Red Sea, resulting in a much more extreme low tide, exposing large areas of the seafloor.»
It is believed that it was this phenomenon that allowed Napoleon and his army to cross the Red Sea in 1789, recalls the Daily Mail.
In addition, the article by scientists suggests that a natural phenomenon may also be to blame. called Rossby waves. Rossby waves occur in rotating fluids and appear in the oceans due to the rotation of the planet.
The article said: «They cause the tide to be higher than normal. The waves move huge amounts of water, which means the incident in the Red Sea could have moved enormous amounts of water, causing the tide to recede an unusual amount, leaving shallow or no water for the Israelites to pass through.»
The Journal of Interdisciplinary Science Topics was developed to , to help undergraduates understand writing scientific articles, reviewing and publishing, notes the Daily Mail.