Making vertebrate fossil radiocarbon dates more useful for global scientific research

Radiocarbon dating of bones is essential for reconstructing timelines of species' occurrences, domestication, extinction, migrations, and interactions with Quaternary environments. Many studies compile these chronologies at continental to global scales by aggregating radiocarbon dates from various sources, often balancing data quantity and quality. A major challenge, however, is the frequent lack of reported bone‐collagen pretreatment protocols, which directly affect dating accuracy. Without this information, radiocarbon dates cannot be reliably quality‐ranked, and retrieving unpublished pretreatment details is often difficult due to lost data, outdated contacts, or restricted access to records. Researchers should ensure that pretreatments are replicable in their publications; and dated materials, taxonomic identities, geolocation details and genetic sequences are linked to individual radiocarbon dates. Journals should mandate the inclusion of reproducible radiocarbon chemistry and liaise with reviewers or advisory board members with expertise in chronological methods for studies presenting new dates or compilations of published dates. Radiocarbon facilities can enhance accessibility and transparency by publishing pretreatment protocols, documenting their history and digitizing older data. We advocate for the creation of a global radiocarbon database, emphasizing the need for close collaboration among the scientific community, dating facilities, research institutions and universities, as well as the adequate allocation of resources to generate and curate reliable radiocarbon data. The scientific community should recognize that current limitations in collagen purification compromise dating accuracy and might significantly affect critical research on Quaternary chronologies, megafaunal extinctions and human evolutionary history.