Physicist: It doesnt. Carbon dating is the most famous form of “radiometric dating”. Carbon-14 is continuously generated in the upper atmosphere when stray neutrons bombard atmospheric nitrogen (which is what most of the atmosphere is).

What can radiocarbon dating be used on?

Radiocarbon dating is a technique used by scientists to learn the ages of biological specimens – for example, wooden archaeological artifacts or ancient human remains – from the distant past. It can be used on objects as old as about 62,000 years.

What is the limit to C-14 dating?

around 50,000 years Theoretically we can report dates as young as a single year, but the margin for error may be greater than the date reported. On the other hand, if the sample is too old, not enough C-14 may remain for an accurate measurement. This means that the upper limit of C-14 dating is currently around 50,000 years ago.