Misconception #2: Carbon dating can be used to date virtually anything Another misconception people have about carbon dating is that it can be used to date virtually anything.Carbon dating can only be used to date objects that were once living or even apart of a living organism. It cannot be used to directly date inorganic objects, such as rocks (other radioactive dating methods are used to date radioactive rocks).The age they came back with was only a few thousand years old. And kept their theory that dinosaurs lived "millions of years ago" instead. They then use potassium argon, or other methods, and date the fossils again.This date did not fit the preconceived notion that dinosaurs lived millions of years ago. They do this many times, using a different dating method each time.The fact is, carbon dating can only be used to date things up to approximately 50,000 years old.In fact, if an object contains (radioactive) carbon, this should be a clue that the object may not be any older than 50,000 years.

Misconception # 1: Carbon dating can be used to date objects that are millions or even billions of years old Carbon dating is one of the most popular radioactive dating methods used today.

What would happen if a dinosaur bone were carbon dated?

- At Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Scientists dated dinosaur bones using the Carbon dating method.

Ironically, despite its popularity, it is also one of the most misunderstood methods of dating.

Many people mistakenly believe carbon dating can be used to date objects that are millions or even billions of years old.