How could Noah’s ark have contained two of every single creature? There
are many, many, many different species in the world…

You ask a question which has no easy answer. Any answer would have to
involve some speculation, so forgive me as I speculate!

First, your claim is certainly true. There are literally millions of
species on the earth. Estimates vary widely on the total number of
species, because one can assume there are more to be discovered than have
been discovered. In any case, even if one were to count only land animal
species, and even if one were to exclude insects, worms and other rather
simple land animals, every single species of mammal, bird, reptile and
amphibian could not have fit on the ark at one time.

Therefore, one is left with two possibilities. Either the flood account is
a myth, or it is not to be taken in the fullest possible literal sense. I
would refer you to a fairly detailed article on the flood which I have
written (on this website) “Will It Be Fire Next Time?”

As a believer, and having been convinced through an overwhelming body of
evidence that the Bible is inspired by God, and besides this noting that
my Lord and Savior seems to have believed in the flood, I choose to as
well. Possible explanation of the seeming inconsistency between the
literal interpretation of the flood account and the facts of science might
be that the ark only contained local animals and that God somehow
recreated or protected other animals from complete destruction. Read the
article and spend some time thinking about what is the most reasonable way
to understand the Genesis flood account in the light of what you know.

John Oakes, PhD