Fossil bone incorporates new radiocarbon by means of recrystallization and, in some cases, bacterial activity and uranium decay. Because of this, bone mineral – fossil or otherwise – is a material that cannot yield an accurate radiocarbon date except under extraordinary circumstances.

Can we use carbon dating to measure how long ago a T Rex died?

Finding out the age of dinosaur fossils is difficult because they are really, really old. That means carbon dating wont work. Millions of years ago, when a dinosaur died, often their bodies were covered by sand and dust which is called sediment. Over time the sediment and bones gradually turned into rock.