Question:
What's the evidence... (i) that the 'dinosaurs' lived MILLIONS of years ago?
anonymous
2010-01-10 07:58:36 UTC
......(ii) that the rocks the fossils were found in were formed MILLIONS of years ago?
Twelve answers:
Zinger
2010-01-10 08:12:51 UTC
What will really burst your bubble is that one is probably walking by you right now in a parallel universe. Ohhhh scary thought!
B K
2010-01-10 08:16:29 UTC
Many paleontologists use both stratigraphy (The study of rock strata, especially the distribution, deposition, and age of sedimentary rocks.) and observations of the fluctuations of the Earth's magnetic field, which leaves different magnetic fields in rocks from different geological eras. Also index fossils found alongside the dinosaur fossils can give a clue to the era the animals lived/died in. However the accuracy of the time scales involved ultimately depends upon radio-isotope dating of the igneous (or volcanic) rocks above and below the sedimentary rocks that the fossils are found in.



For example, if a fossil is found in between two layers containing igneous rock dated to 70 million years and 80 million years respectively, the dinosaur must have died at some point in between those two times.



The reason we know radio-isotope (or radiometric) dating is fairly accurate is because we know that radioactive isotopes of elements, such as Uranium-235, decay at constant, known rates over time (its half-life, which is over 700 million years). We know this is true because scientists have measured it and found it to be true (a fact) Their results have been published, and the experiments repeated time and time again with the same results (this is how scientists test if something is true or not). An accurate estimate of the rock's age can then be determined by examining the ratios of the remaining radioactive element and its daughters.



Carbon dating is not used for dinosaur bones as the half-life of C-14 is only 5,568 years. Therefore, carbon dating can be only used for dating things 50,000 to 60,000 years old, much younger than the dinosaurs, which existed over 65,000,000 years ago.
anonymous
2010-01-10 08:09:56 UTC
Not carbon dating....it only goes to about 50,000 years.



Among others

Pb-Pb

U-Pb

Ar-Ar

K-Ar

There are others based on Ru, Th, and probably a few that I'm not aware of.



The thing is ALL the methods get the same date ranges. It's not just one.



But they knew they were very old by stratification way before they had the dating methods. It was known the Earth was very old in Greek culture based on geology.
ci50158
2010-01-10 08:05:20 UTC
Radiometric dating.
anonymous
2010-01-10 08:04:12 UTC
Carbon dating, fossilization, common sense.



Oh, yes, it is much more likely that the earth was made 6,000 years ago, even though there were civilizations before 4,000 B.C.
anonymous
2010-01-10 08:02:59 UTC
Radiometrics and sedimentology. You won't learn about that in a religion section. If you are serious about wanting to know, look for those words in a science format. If you are looking to validate your religion, just ignore all science and claim some religious text as ultimate truth and never question it.
Soulless - The Anti-Cat
2010-01-10 08:12:03 UTC
The fact that you are asking this question in the R&S section tells me that you aren't interested in an answer, so I wont waste my time giving you one that you will simply ignore..
hadron
2010-01-10 08:08:06 UTC
1. carbon (and various other kinds of) dating



2. again, other forms of dating
anonymous
2010-01-10 08:05:32 UTC
Scientific investigation of multiple dating methods.



Why evolution is true:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1m4mATYoig
?
2010-01-10 08:02:12 UTC
carbon dating
Scottie Pippin
2010-01-10 08:02:39 UTC
Dude, the earth is 4.5 billion years old. Just accept it.
ponitail 55
2010-01-10 08:03:20 UTC
have you never been to the museum?uh the skeletons are a good indication


This content was originally posted on Y! Answers, a Q&A website that shut down in 2021.
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