THIS IS THE THIRD OF A CONTINUING SERIES examining what is being passed off as science on creationist websites.

This article examines a specific false claim made on numerous creationist websites in an attempt to discredit radiocarbon dating. A list of some of the websites repeating this false claim appears at the bottom of this article.

Some creationists feel a need to discredit radiocarbon dating because it is incompatible with their belief in a young earth. In trying to discredit the radiocarbon method, they often resort to distortions, misrepresentations, faulty science, and outright lies, all compounded by poor scholarship.

Claim:

Bones of a sabre-toothed tiger from the LaBrea Tar Pits (near Los Angeles), supposedly 100,000 to 1000,000 years old, gave a date of 28,000 years. (Radiocarbon, vol. 10, 1968) Source

Analysis:

The La Brea Tar Pits have been dated to approximately 9,000 to 40,000 years ago.

The original article, by Berger and Libby (1968) reported dates on 11 leg bones from sabre-tooth tigers (Smilodon californicus) recovered from the La Brea tar pits (there were 12 dates, as one bone, marked with a * below, was dated twice). These dates were:

This creationist claim is a mix of incorrect and incomplete data, and is used in a misleading manner in the original article in an attempt to cast doubt on the radiocarbon dating method.

Reference

Berger, Rainer and Willard F. Libby. UCLA Radiocarbon Dates VIII. Radiocarbon, Vol 10, No. 2, pp. 402-416.

Partial list of web pages containing this false claim:

http://www.answersingenesis.org/creation/v2/i2/carbon14.asp
http://www.parentcompany.com/creation_explanation/cx8j.htm
http://www.creationontheweb.com/content/view/1053/
http://answers.net.nz/Evolution/Scpmike.htm
http://www.trueorigin.org/dating.asp

A Look at Creation “Science” — Part VI
A Look at Creation “Science” — Part V
A Look at Creation “Science” — Part IV
A Look at Creation “Science” — Part III
A Look at Creation “Science” — Part II
A Look at Creation “Science” — Part I