By 2050 scientists reckon a new item will have the same carbon timestamp as something from the Middle Ages
. An age could suddenly be put to unearthed remains of living things that had expired within the past 50,000 years. But changes in modern human activity, such as the end of above-ground atomic testing and a rise in carbon-dioxide emissions from fossil fuels, mean carbon dating is being rendered useless .
By comparing this ratio with that found in the atmosphere, a value for time of death can be obtained. But there are limitations. First, any objects more than around 55,000 years old would have lost all their carbon-14. Second, atmospheric composition changes over time, making accurate comparisons tricky. Third, carbon-14 decays so slowly that carbon dating is only accurate to within a few hundred years. These factors made it mostly the preserve of archaeology.
. That opened it up to various fields, including medicines and forensics. But a new study published in, a journal, shows that levels are now back to where they were before 1950. A barrel of Scotch whisky distilled five months ago has the same level of radioactivity as a vintage one.from fossil fuels, which are derived from organic matter many millions of years old.
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