Is the sun emitting a mystery particle ?

Hm... the decay rates change as time goes on, however the calibrations as they were still would stand. So things like carbon dating are still in place. Not unless we can determine how often this has happened, for how long each duration was, and what the impact was.

Or that we know alot but that the big picture is just slightly skewed. Nice to get a clearcut image of reality once and for all.. that is what someone probable said when they figuared out how to do carbin dating itself.

Not unless we can determine how often this has happened, for how long each duration was, and what the impact was. Carbon - 14 dating has been calibrated by other dating methods that do not require radiometric dating, like dendrochronology. As far as it goes, though, the average decay rates per year will still stay unchanged.

Carbon - 14 dating has been calibrated by other dating methods that do not require radiometric dating, like dendrochronology. As far as it goes, though, the average decay rates per year will still stay unchanged. That can't takes us back millions of years though.

That can't takes us back millions of years though. Nope, which is why multiple types of dating are used, including radiometric dating. In this instance, the article puts forth the supposition that there may be a variation in the decay, however, the actual variation is not that great, not even outside the already given range of time.

Nope, which is why multiple types of dating are used, including radiometric dating. In this instance, the article puts forth the supposition that there may be a variation in the decay, however, the actual variation is not that great, not even outside the already given range of time. The thing is, these variations put into doubt what we think we know about radiometric dating. If something is causing variations right now, it means similar events may have occurred in the past, events of greater or lesser impact. Until we can ascertain if and when similar events occurred, we can't know whether any... [More]

The thing is, these variations put into doubt what we think we know about radiometric dating. If something is causing variations right now, it means similar events may have occurred in the past, events of greater or lesser impact. Until we can ascertain if and when similar events occurred, we can't know whether any of our calculations are correct. Agreed. The big thing other than just carbon dating is an entirely new picture of physics though Where Cosmology and Particle Physics MeetIf neutrinos and antineutrinos are the same particle, when an ordinary neutrino (blue) collides with a Higgs bos... [More]

The issue of properly dating objects for archaeology is interesting; but no mention is made in the article, about how large of a difference this discovery would make. The really important aspect of this discovery is future applications of this discovery. Imagine if we could control the decay rates of radioactive materials! No more radioactive waste buried caves, just bombard it properly with neutrinos, to render it safe!

Well it sounds like Carbon-14 dating is now old school and not going to stand up anymore. If it can speed up and slow down depending on the season then who knows for sure how old anything is. How would you be able to tell? from reading this it would be wrong to say for sure until they figure this flaw out. Things could be much older than thought but depending on the seasons they could be much younger.

Well it sounds like Carbon-14 dating is now old school and not going to stand up anymore. If it can speed up and slow down depending on the season then who knows for sure how old anything is. How would you be able to tell? from reading this it would be wrong to say for sure until they figure this flaw out. Things could be much older than thought but depending on the seasons they could be much younger. Carbon dating gets recalibrate constantly, and is compared against mutliple other forms of dating, like dendrochronology and geostratic chronology. The problem is, they don't state explicitly in ... [More]