Electron spin resonance dating

Electron spin resonance dating, or ESR dating, is a technique used to date materials which radiocarbon dating cannot, including minerals (e.g. carbonates, silicates, sulphates), biological materials (e.g., tooth enamel), archaeological materials (e.g., ceramics) and food. Electron spin resonance dating was first introduced to the science community in 1975, when Japanese nuclear physicist Motoji Ikeya dated a speleothem in Akiyoshi Cave, Japan. ESR dating measures the amount of unpaired electrons in crystalline structures that were previously exposed to natural radiation. The age of a substance can be determined by measuring the dosage of radiation since the time of its formation.