Why Carbon Dating Might Be in Danger

Carbon dating is a crucial tool for determining the age of organic materials by analyzing carbon isotopes. However, the burning of fossil fuels is altering the carbon ratio, posing a threat to its accuracy. The Suez effect describes this change, which could make new materials appear much older. A proposed solution involves using carbon-13 as a reference to detect skewed measurements. This approach, alongside reducing fossil fuel usage, aims to maintain the reliability of carbon dating.

What is carbon dating and how has it transformed fields like archaeology and paleontology?

Explain the difference between carbon-12 and carbon-14.

What is the Suez effect and how does it impact carbon dating?

How does the burning of fossil fuels affect the carbon ratio used in carbon dating?

What solution was proposed to address the issues with carbon dating caused by fossil fuels?