Final answer:
Reliable dating techniques indicate that the fossils and tools found at Olduvai Gorge can be several million years old. Radiocarbon dating can be used for remains less than 50,000 years old, but absolute dating methods are necessary for older items like the 2.5-million-year-old stone tools from Gona, Ethiopia.
Step-by-step explanation:
The maximum age for fossils and tools found at Olduvai Gorge has been identified using various dating techniques. Radiocarbon dating is one method used to estimate the age of carbon-containing materials and can be accurate for remains less than about 50,000 years old. However, for the finds at Olduvai Gorge, as well as other similar archaeological sites, the fossils and tools often exceed the limits of radiocarbon dating, as they are much older.
For example, stone tools found at Gona, Ethiopia, were dated back to approximately 2.5 million years ago using indirect dating techniques, as direct radiocarbon dating is ineffective for such ancient materials. These tools provide some of the earliest evidence of human tool use. Moreover, ax points for hunting were found to be about 1.75 million years old, indicating the spread of innovation among prehistoric human groups.
Considering the limitations of radiocarbon dating for older finds, absolute dating methods such as carbon-14 or other techniques are applied to give an approximate age in years for these ancient fossils and tools. In conclusion, depending on the method used, reliable information indicates artifacts at Olduvai and other similar sites can date back to several million years ago.