Abstract
Radiocarbon bomb-pulse dating has been used to measure the formation age of human eye-lens crystallines. Lens crystallines are special proteins in the eye-lens that consist of virtually inert tissue. The experimental data show that the radiocarbon ages to a large extent reflect the time of birth, in accordance with expectations. Moreover, it has been possible to develop an age model for the formation of the eye-lens crystallines. From this model a radiocarbon calibration curve for lens crystallines has been calculated. As a consequence, the time of birth of humans can be determined with an accuracy of a few years by radiocarbon dating.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Journal | Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Reseach B |
| Volume | 268 |
| Issue number | 7-8 |
| Pages (from-to) | 1303-1306 |
| Number of pages | 4 |
| ISSN | 0168-583X |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Apr 2010 |
Keywords
- Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences
- 14C
- Time of birth
- Bomb-pulse
- Calibration
- Forensics
- Biomedicine