An improved method of radiometric dating,which filtered out contaminants,showed that most Neanderthal bones in Europe are older than suggested by earlier dating.This new dating suggests that Neanderthals' time on the planet did not overlap with modern humans.Radiocarbon dating depends on measuring the radioactive isotopes of carbon-14.
Which of the following statements supports the null hypothesis that modern humans and Neanderthals did not occupy the same sites at the same time?
A)The Neanderthal fossils were older than originally dated because very little carbon-14 remained in filtered specimens.
B)Small amounts of contaminating carbon-14 can make a sample seem much older.
C)The amount of carbon in an organism's body increases after death.
D)Re-dating Neanderthal sites across Europe shows evidence for extensive interbreeding between Neanderthals and modern humans.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

A suggests that the original dating was incorrect due to the lack of reliable carbon-14 dating, supporting the null hypothesis that modern humans and Neanderthals did not overlap in time. B, C, and D do not support the null hypothesis. B indicates that even small amounts of contamination can make a sample seem older, but does not directly address the issue of whether or not modern humans and Neanderthals occupied the same sites at the same time. C is also unrelated to the null hypothesis. D, on the other hand, suggests that there was extensive interbreeding between Neanderthals and modern humans, which contradicts the null hypothesis.

An Improved Method of Radiometric Dating,which Filtered Out Contaminants,showed That