Final answer:
Thermoluminescence dating is an absolute dating technique that uses the release of stored excitation energy in materials, induced by heating, to determine their age.
Step-by-step explanation:
Thermoluminescence dating is an absolute dating technique used by paleoanthropologists to determine the age of fossils or artifacts. It requires that the material has been exposed to a high-temperature event, such as a volcanic explosion. During this event, the radioactive elements within the material are released, and their accumulation since that time can be used to calculate the age of the artifact. The process of thermoluminescence involves the slow release of stored excitation energy after the material has cooled, which can be induced by heating. The older the material, the less light it emits when stimulated in this way.