science-junkie:Uranium-thorium dating Uranium-Thorium dating is an absolute dating technique which
science-junkie: Uranium-thorium dating Uranium-Thorium dating is an absolute dating technique which uses the properties of the radio-active half-life of Uranium-238 and Thorium-230. The half-life of uranium—238 is 4,470,000,000 years, that is, in that many years half of the original amount is still uranium- the other half has lost protons to form a different element which is more stable. The half-life of thorium-230 is only 75,380 years. When the amounts of uranium and thorium are compared an accurate estimation of the age of an object can be obtained. Thanks to this dating technique, scientists have redated art in El Castillo Cave in Spain. The new dates place a hand stencil at earlier than 37,300 years ago and a red disk at earlier than 40,600 years ago — decreeing them the oldest cave paintings in Europe. Sources: [x][x][x] -- source link
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