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Originally posted by Reddupo
Originally posted by network dude
I am in no way an archiologist or anything remotely close, but I thought carbon dating could only go back like 100,00 years or something. If there is a limit on carbon dating, how is it that we have any idea how old these things are?
The limit acts in the reverse way..
The half life of carbon is around 5700 years, so we can only date things from 5700 years ago and before that. Carbondating isn't good for more recent artifacts.
Originally posted by cruzion
I'm intrigued how they dated the items, too. There is no way they would be able to use C14 dating. It's max is about 50,000 years. They probably used Uranium 235, but even then, I believe, and I may be wrong, that objects need to be at least 20 million years old, as it's half-life is like 800 million years. I just don't see how they can accurately work out 2 million years for a date.
They can't use the rock, as it is strata composed of eroded dolomite; which may be from the African craton. So all they will get there is the age of when the dolomite was formed. They may be using the intrusion into the stratigraphy to relatively age-date, but it seems more likely they are guessing, if you ask me.
edit: I can only asume they have somehow relatively age dated the cave, and whopped that figure on whatever it was that lived there.
[edit on 18-12-2008 by cruzion]
Originally posted by cruzion
I'm intrigued how they dated the items, too. There is no way they would be able to use C14 dating. It's max is about 50,000 years. They probably used Uranium 235, but even then, I believe, and I may be wrong, that objects need to be at least 20 million years old, as it's half-life is like 800 million years. I just don't see how they can accurately work out 2 million years for a date.
They can't use the rock, as it is strata composed of eroded dolomite; which may be from the African craton. So all they will get there is the age of when the dolomite was formed. They may be using the intrusion into the stratigraphy to relatively age-date, but it seems more likely they are guessing, if you ask me.
Originally posted by ConservativeJack
you guys really believe this?
2. 0 0 0 . 0 0 0 year old tools?
Originally posted by ConservativeJack
like, paintings that stay on a wall for 2,000,000 years?
Originally posted by ConservativeJack
LOL!!!!!