Revolutionary Carbon Dating Causes No Damage

DolceTracker| Scientists have developed a new method of dating artificts and historical cultural treasures without harming them. In conventional carbon-dating procedures, scientists remove a tiny chip from the artifact.

The new method, called “non-destructive carbon dating,” eliminates sampling, the destructive acid-base washes, and burning. In the new method, scientists place an entire artifact in a special chamber with a plasma, an electrically charged gas similar to gases used in big-screen plasma television displays. The gas slowly and gently oxidizes the surface of the object to produce carbon dioxide for C-14 analysis without damaging the surface.” via Science Daily

Researchers have tested about 20 different organic artifacts and the results agree with carbon dating procedures. It will now be possible to date thousands of museum artifiacts previously off limits because they would be damaged in the dating process.