Dating anomalies

Science News (www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id58346 ) April 16th … new age estimates for Homo erectus fossils from Java have produced puzzling results. Anthrolopologists thought Homo erectus had survived on Java until 30,000 years ago – but the new dating method indicates they died out much earlier. The difference is due to the application of differing dating methodologies. One, an analysis of radio-active elements in fossil bearing sediment and the other, based on measurements of radio-active argon decay in volcanic rock above and below the fossils.