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The thylacine (Thylacinus cynocephalus) was a large, dog-like marsupial that was declared extinct in 1986 - VCE - SSCE Biology - Question 31 - 2013 - Paper 1
Question 31
The thylacine (Thylacinus cynocephalus) was a large, dog-like marsupial that was declared extinct in 1986. A mummified carcase of a thylacine was found in a cave on ... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:The thylacine (Thylacinus cynocephalus) was a large, dog-like marsupial that was declared extinct in 1986 - VCE - SSCE Biology - Question 31 - 2013 - Paper 1
Step 1
measuring the proportion of carbon-14 atoms in the carcase.
Answer
The most likely method to date the 5000-year-old mummified carcase of the thylacine involves measuring the proportion of carbon-14 atoms in the carcase. This method, known as radiocarbon dating, is reliable for dating organic materials up to about 50,000 years old, making it suitable for the age in question.