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Creation of man from clay -

According to the Old Testament, God made Adam from earth or clay. Well, science tells us that clay absorbs liquids and forms an ideal environment for chemicals to react and create proteins, DNA, and, eventually, living cells.

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The Virgin Mary -

The immaculate conception is one of the most famous miracles in the Bible. A possible scientific explanation for it is parthenogenesis, a natural form of reproduction. This can happen with a few animal species, but it’s a rare event in mammals (including humans).

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The Virgin Mary -

Though even if parthenogenesis were to occur in Mary, it would have likely resulted in a tumor, and not in the birth of Jesus. There are other theories on the virgin birth, but a rare case of human parthenogenesis remains the most scientifically valid thus far.

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Parting of the Red Sea -

According to the book of Exodus, Moses parts the sea while escaping Egypt with the Israelites. Carl Drews, from the US National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), put forward the hypothesis that if strong east wind had blown through the region, it would have blown the water apart at a bend.

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Parting of the Red Sea -

"The parting of the waters can be understood through fluid dynamics. The wind moves the water in a way that's in accordance with physical laws, creating a safe passage with water on two sides and then abruptly allowing the water to rush back in," Drews explained.

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Water from a stone -

While in the desert escaping from Egypt, Moses strikes a rock and water starts pouring from it, quenching the Israelites’ thirst. Well, the region around Mount Sinai is rich in limestone, which is a very porous rock that can absorb and retain water.

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Star of Bethlehem -

The Star of Bethlehem was the reference point in the sky that guided the three wise men to baby Jesus in Bethlehem. Professor David Hughes, an astronomer from the University of Sheffield, believes that this was not actually a star, but instead an event known as a triple conjunction between Jupiter and Saturn.

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Star of Bethlehem -

"[This happens when] you get an alignment between the Sun, the Earth, Jupiter, and Saturn," explained Hughes.

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Burning bush -

Moses witnessed a burning bush while wandering by himself in the wilderness. The burning bush may have been an “earthquake light,” a luminous optical phenomenon that is believed to occur before or after an earthquake.

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Burning bush -

Another explanation would be a volcanic vent, or a flame with natural gas underneath it, which would have allowed it to continuously burn.

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The voice of God -

According to the Bible, the burning bush also spoke to Moses as the voice of God. It has been suggested that Moses could have been under the influence of a plant that contains a substance similar to the hallucinogenic ayahuasca. The plant can be found in the Sinai peninsula.

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Manna from heaven -

God provided manna for the hungry Israelites in the desert. According to the Bible, manna fell from heaven. But what is manna, anyway? Scientists have suggested it could be a sweet secretion of plant lice known as trehalose, or perhaps dried algae or lichen.

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The Nile turns into blood -

Exodus mentions a time when God turned the Nile River into blood. This may have been caused by red algae, aka a “red tide.” The bloody Nile was one of the Plagues of Egypt.

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The Plagues of Egypt -

While there is no evidence that all of these happened, it is scientifically possible that they did. After God turned water into blood, other plagues came, namely frogs, lice, wild animals, sick livestock, boils, hail, locusts, darkness for three days, and death of the firstborn.

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The Plagues of Egypt -

A whirlwind, tornado, or other natural phenomenon could have caused the “rain of frogs.” Following these phenomena, it wouldn’t be surprising for a swarm of insects to follow. The bites of insects could have easily led to boils.

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The Plagues of Egypt -

An adverse weather event could have occurred, followed by a solar eclipse (there was actually one on March 5, 1223 BCE). The death of newborn children could have been caused by consuming diseased animals or grain contaminated by the mycotoxins in the red tide.

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Blood moon -

Both the book of Acts and the book of Revelation mention the moon turning to blood as a bad omen. Indeed, there is such a thing as a blood moon, which is basically a total lunar eclipse.

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Noah’s Ark -

It is possible that a glacier was responsible for a massive flood in ancient Mesopotamia. In addition, calculations made by physics students at the University of Leicester in 2014 found that the ark would have been able to carry out its purpose.

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David and Goliath -

Goliath was a giant in the Bible. Gigantism is a real condition, so it is technically possible that Goliath was one. He could have suffered from a pituitary disorder called familial acromegaly.

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Resurrection - The swoon hypothesis claims that Jesus didn't die on the cross. According to the theory, he just passed out and was later revived in the tomb. Three days later, he left. It’s unlikely that Jesus survived the crucifixion, but it's certainly not completely impossible.

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Cain and Abel -

The Bible's infamous sibling murder has been suggested to be a reference to the Homo sapiens killing the Neanderthals.

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The Walls of Jericho -

Scientists have suggested that the walls of Jericho, if they existed, might have fallen due to an earthquake, not because the Israelites marched around it for days.

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Fire from heaven -

Elijah poured water over an altar atop Mount Carmel and then prayed to God to send fire from heaven. This was on a clear day. The possible explanation? A phenomenon known as anvil lightning.

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Jesus walking on water -

This famous miracle can be found in the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and John. The possible scientific explanation is a cold spell that could have partially frozen the sea in the region, allowing Jesus to walk on it.

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Hezekiah's sundial -

When King Hezekiah asked the prophet Isaiah for a sign from God, Isaiah asked God to move the sundial backwards. The science behind it? It is possible that clouds and light refraction were responsible for the reverse sundial movement.

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The Tower of Babel -

The Bible describes the Tower of Babel as being built by people who speak different languages. But could such a tall tower be built back then? Apparently so. Etemenanki, a ziggurat (a stepped temple tower), has been named as the inspiration for the famous biblical tower.

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The destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah -

The Bible mentions fire and brimstone raining down from heaven and destroying Sodom and Gomorrah for their wickedness. Scientists suspect that it was a meteor that caused the destruction of the biblical cities.

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The Ark of the Covenant -

The sacred relic could well be an electric condenser. It has been theorized that, with the right conditions, the electrical capacitor could potentially hold 10,000 volts of electricity and actually electrocute a person. So its power to produce “blazing fire” and “blinding lights” is scientifically possible.

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Jesus Christ’s miraculous healings -

According to the scriptures, Jesus performs a number of miracles, including healing people with disabilities. This may have something to do with the placebo effect. Mind-body healing is a powerful thing.

Sources: (Science) (Live Science) (The New York Times) (Discover Magazine) (BBC) (Smithsonian Magazine) (The Conversation) (List25)

See also: Faith healing—proven fact or fanciful fiction?

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