Arnold and Libby: checking radiocarbon ages against known-age samples

What changed

Radiocarbon measurement became an empirically checked dating capability.

Scientific scope

The December 1949 known-age check; isotope discovery, worldwide assays, calibration curves and applications are excluded.

Evidence

The linked sources identify this contribution and its scope. WRS has not independently reconstructed the scientific claims. This is the December 1949 known-age check. Earlier carbon-14 discovery, worldwide-assay work, later calibration curves and all archaeological applications are separate contributions.

Contributors

• James R. Arnold · SCIENCE: Named source author of the scoped work; individual effort shares are not measured.
• Willard F. Libby · SCIENCE: Named source author of the scoped work; individual effort shares are not measured.

• Arnold and Libby, checks with samples of known age (1949)
• Arnold and Libby 1949 paper transcription

Provisional WRS assessment, edition 2026-10-16.1. Independent expert calibration is pending. This grade does not certify correctness or assign ownership.

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