Parting of Red Sea Linked to Ma Nature, Not Moses

The parting of the Red Sea attributed to Moses could have been nothing more than a natural phenomenon, not a miracle, says a team of researchers. Colorado scientists have created a computer simulation revealing that a strong east wind blowing overnight over a shallow lagoon off northern Egypt could expose mud flats for four hours. In the Bible, Moses parts the water so the Israelites can flee the pharaoh's soldiers, who are swallowed up when they follow.

"The parting of the waters can be understood through fluid dynamics," explained study lead author Carl Drews. "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." A similar situation was described by a British army officer in 1882 who witnessed the lagoon "disappearing" for hours after gale-force winds, notes the New York Daily News.

(More Moses stories.)