Carbon dating doesn’t reveal DNA. The Pope’s reliance
on this as if it proves these are the Apostle Paul’s remains
is insufficient. The best you can say is that it supports
the belief that these are the Apostle Paul’s remains.
Not quite infallible ...
This ha snothing to do with infallibility in any case.
I found the claims odd as well. Since when are Carbon tests used to confirm identity?
Carbon dating doesn’t reveal DNA.
Not having a sample of Paul's DNA, a DNA sample would tells us what? Male. Middle eastern maybe, and not much more than that.
That’s very true about DNA. But how would a person obtain it and how would you know it was St. Paul’s? I’d say there is a 99% chance the remains are those of the saint.
There is a test that can be done to measure trace elements found in the body (I think usually from teeth). These trace elements are absorbed into the body from drinking water. Since these trace elements vary from place to place it can fairly reliably determine where the individual came from. If the traces in this body were to match those of people in the area of Tarsus it wold be extremely convincing.
It is evidence consistant with the tradition that Paul’s remains have been interred in the tomb since the first century. That’s not a small thing.