What potential issues can arise when using the date() and mktime() functions in PHP, particularly when dealing with dates before 1970?

When using the date() and mktime() functions in PHP, potential issues can arise when dealing with dates before 1970 due to limitations in Unix timestamps. To solve this issue, you can use the DateTime class in PHP, which provides better support for dates outside the Unix timestamp range.

$date = new DateTime('1960-01-01');
echo $date->format('Y-m-d');