Question

You are looking for fossil hominins (human ancestors) in East Africa, and you are fortunate enough to find the skull of a new species!! There are other animal fossils at the site, and the presence of the species Libycosaurus petrochii, an even-toed ungulate [hooved mammal], is known to exist from around 6 to 7 million years ago. In other words, you have employed biostratigraphy to give you some idea of the antiquity of the site, but it is your job to get an absolute date for the hominid fossil. The fossil is situated between two layers of ash from volcanic eruptions. Please explain which dating method you will use, and if you will date the fossil itself or the matrix [material] around the fossil.

Answer 1

Carbon-14 dating should be used for this the bone of the fossil will be taken ground to extract the protein part and then carbon dating will be done; as it is the protein fraction for which, we do the carbon dating.