The Carbon 14, or radiocarbon dating method is one of the best-known methods of dating human fossils and has been around since the late 1940s. The collagen is the organic protein in the bone that is the most robust and most suitable for radiocarbon dating.

How do they date human bones?

The methods that can be used for the direct dating of human remains comprise of radiocarbon, U-series, electron spin resonance (ESR), and amino acid racemization (AAR). Recent advances in ultrafiltration techniques have expanded the dating range of radiocarbon.

How does carbon dating tell us how old a bone is?

Scientists know how long it takes for half of a given quantity of carbon-14 to decay — a length of time called a half-life. While radiocarbon dating is useful only for materials that were once alive, scientists can use uranium-thorium-lead dating to measure the age of objects such as rocks.

Why cant we use carbon-14 to date dinosaur bones?

But carbon-14 dating wont work on dinosaur bones. The half-life of carbon-14 is only 5,730 years, so carbon-14 dating is only effective on samples that are less than 50,000 years old. To determine the ages of these specimens, scientists need an isotope with a very long half-life.

How old is a bone?

One scientific technique scientists will often turn to is carbon-14 dating. This technique has proved to be quite accurate for determining the age of ancient artifacts that have a biological origin, such as bones or wood or plant fibers, up to approximately 60,000 years old.