I finally dated my first artifact, but I almost ruined it with bare hands

I was so excited to try carbon dating on a bone I found. In my rush, I forgot to wear gloves when I picked it up. This can add modern carbon and mess up the age. The first test came back all wrong, and I felt awful. I had to re-clean the sample and run it again. It took extra time, but the second try gave a good result. Now I'll never skip gloves again, and it feels like a lesson learned.

4 comments

4 Comments

cameron_hayes9916h ago

500 years of age just gone because you were in a hurry, classic. Reminds me of @harris.abby and the fingerprint fiasco, where rushing made more work. Sometimes going slow is actually the fast way to do it right.

harris.abby6d ago

Man, that rush to get things done can really backfire. I once helped a friend move an old family photo album and didn't wash my hands first. Left fingerprints all over the black pages, and they were a pain to clean off. Learned real quick to always check for grime before touching stuff like that. Now I'm paranoid about gloves too, lol.

the_brian6d ago

Have you tried those white cotton archival gloves?

jessica1306d ago

Gloves are a lifesaver. That part about fingerprints on black pages really hit home. I get so nervous touching old stuff now. My mom's yearbooks are all smudged because no one was careful. I just grab gloves before even thinking about it. Can't take any chances.