Neither fossils nor rocks have dates inscribed on them. Before dates can be assigned to them, the fossil and the rock must be interpreted, and interpretations can vary. Fossils are dated by the rocks, or strata, in which they are found. How can the age of a rock be known? Rocks, or strata, are dated by the fossils found in them. There is no way to prove either assumption. Circular reasoning--arguing in circles--can’t prove anything.

Neither dating by fossil content or by radioactive methods is very precise. Dates are assigned to rocks and fossils, but they cannot be proven scientifically. Radioactive dating measures the amounts of certain elements in rocks and how they have changed over time. Published radioactive dates seldom conflict with the geologic timetable because, when the two sets of dates conflict, the geologic dates, based on fossils and the geologic timetable, are always used. Conflicting radioactive dates are not reported. This gives the appearance that the two methods always coincide, and so it is claimed. Radioactive dating is based on unprovable assumptions. There is no way to test it for accuracy.