Carbon-14 dating, also called radiocarbon dating, method of age determination that depends upon the decay to nitrogen of radiocarbon (carbon-14). Radiocarbon decays slowly in a living organism, and the amount lost is continually replenished as long as the organism takes in air or food.

Why is Silicon a good substitute for carbon?

For example, the element silicon (Si) has chemical properties similar to those of carbon and thus might be suitable in place of carbon as a basis for some living organisms. Specifically, carbon, with its 4 unpaired outer electrons, can form tight chemical bonds by sharing those electrons with other elements.