Creation Science

Young Earth Creation Science Argument Index

 

G1216:  Ancient coal and oil are C-14 dated as only 50,000 years old

 

Edited by Greg Neyman

 

Argument: 

Coal and oil supposedly millions of years old contain carbon-14, giving dates around 50,000 years old.  If they really were millions of years old, they would not contain any detectable amount of C-14

Source:   Baumgardner, John, 2003. Carbon dating undercuts evolution's long ages. Impact #364 (Oct.), http://www.icr.org/index.php?module=articles&action=view&ID=117
Baumgardner, J. R., D. R. Humphreys, A. A. Snelling, and S. A. Austin, 2003. Measurable 14C in fossilized organic materials: Confirming the young earth creation/Flood model. in Proceedings of the Fifth International Conference on Creationism, R. E. Walsh, ed., Pittsburgh, PA: Creation Science Fellowship, pp. 127-142.

 

Response: 

 

  1. New C-14 is formed from background radiation

  2. Atmospheric contamination of the sample can contribute C-14

  3. Sulfur bacteria which grows in coal contributes new C-14 to the coal

  4. C-14 from groundwater contributes new C-14

  5. Whewellite forms as coal weathers.  This carbon-containing mineral contributes new C-14

  6. The maximum range of dating using carbon is 50,000 years.  Minute amounts of carbon-14 would cause apparent ages around this "maximum" (NOTE: Newer equipment/techniques now offer carbon dating back to 62,000 years)

To learn more on this topic, read the TalkOrigins.org rebuttal.

Radiocarbon Dating (Wikipedia)

 

 

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Young Earth Creation Science Argument Index

 

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