This was posted in another science/faith group and I thought it was really interesting. It explains the latest developments in the reliability of C14 dating. I thought it would be a useful reference for people.
“An unbroken, high-resolution record of atmospheric carbon-12 and carbon-14 was found in a pair of stalagmites located within Hulu Cave near Nanjing, China, according to new research published today in Science. Because this record extends back to the last glacial period, to around 54,000 years ago, scientists are now equipped with a more accurate standard for use in radiocarbon calibration.”
That’s pretty cool, thanks for sharing. It looks like there’s a growing list of cross checking and refining for radiocarbon dating in particular, first with dendrochronology up to about 12 kya, varves up to 50 kya, and this method as well- all based upon different physical properties yet all converging on the same results.
In January, the paper cited below will become open access. The Lake Suigetsu varves are not an unbroken sequence from past to present, but the varve record overlaps with the tree-ring records, and continues beyond 50,000 years. The tree-ring + varve record allows multiple tests of assumptions that are challenged by YEC.
Davidson, G. and K. Wolgemuth (2018) Testing and verifying old age evidence: Lake Suigetsu varves, tree rings, and carbon-14. PSCF, 70(2):75-89.