The Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Has Affected Atmospheric Levels of Carbon 14

The us. Conducted most of these, with some 215 atmospheric tests and 800 d 15 underground tests. Carbon 14 is a radioactive isotope of carbon that is generated in earth's atmosphere every minute of every day. It has been enormously useful to archaeologists and all kinds of other scientists to analyze and date organisms from the past. But nuclear testing introduced new wrinkles into this already complicated science.