Over time, carbon-14 decays in predictable ways. And with the help of radiocarbon dating, researchers can use that decay as a kind of clock that allows them to peer into the past and determine absolute dates for everything from wood to food, pollen, poop, and even dead animals and humans.

Can an atom be destroyed?

No atoms are destroyed or created. The bottom line is: Matter cycles through the universe in many different forms. In any physical or chemical change, matter doesnt appear or disappear. Atoms created in the stars (a very, very long time ago) make up every living and nonliving thing on Earth—even you.