Note to users. If you're seeing this message, it means that your browser cannot find this page's style/presentation instructions -- or possibly that you are using a browser that does not support current Web standards. Find out more about why this message is appearing, and what you can do to make your experience of our site the best it can be.

Science 6 April 1984:
Vol. 224. no. 4644, pp. 58 - 61
DOI: 10.1126/science.224.4644.58
Prev | Table of Contents | Next

Articles

Major Carbon-14 Deficiency in Modern Snail Shells from Southern Nevada Springs

ALAN C. RIGGS 1

1 U.S. Geological Survey, MS 432, Reston, Virginia 22092

Carbon-14 contents as low as 3.3 ± 0.2 percent modern (apparent age, 27,000 years) measured from the shells of snails Melanoides tuberculatus living in artesian springs in southern Nevada are attributed to fixation of dissolved HCO3- with which the shells are in carbon isotope equilibrium. Recognition of the existence of such extreme deficiencies is necessary so that erroneous ages are not attributed to freshwater biogenic carbonates.

Submitted on July 18, 1983
Accepted on January 13, 1983

To Advertise     Find Products

Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)