The ¹⁴C amount left long after a plant, animal, or human has died provides a quantitative way to date these types of biogenic samples. C14-SCAR precision allows to date samples up to 30,000 years old.

Dating accuracy will depend on available calibration curves and correction of fractionation effects by auxiliary  ¹³C/ ¹²C measurements. C14-SCAR small footprint, as well as its low power consumption, make it a truly on-field deployable radiocarbon detector, opening new possibilities for real-time validation of archaeological excavations.