Radiocarbon has a short half-life of only about 5700 years, so it is only useful for dating materials no older than about 50,000 years (van der Plicht & Palstra, 2016). Of the radiocarbon that was present in an organism at the time of its death, no measurable amount remains after 100,000 years.

What is carbon dating best for?

As long as there is organic material present, radiocarbon dating is a universal dating technique that can be applied anywhere in the world. It is good for dating for the last 50,000 years to about 400 years ago and can create chronologies for areas that previously lacked calendars.

Why is carbon dating useful in Archaeology?

Over time, carbon-14 decays in predictable ways. And with the help of radiocarbon dating, researchers can use that decay as a kind of clock that allows them to peer into the past and determine absolute dates for everything from wood to food, pollen, poop, and even dead animals and humans.