Hunting stardust in Plymouth: new project invites people to discover cosmic dust from outer space

This project will encourage Plymouth residents to help uncover micrometeorites that may have landed on their roofs and in their gardens
An image of the Perseid meteor shower captured by Dr Stephen Grimes.

Hunting stardust in Plymouth: new project invites people to discover cosmic dust from outer space

This project will encourage Plymouth residents to help uncover micrometeorites that may have landed on their roofs and in their gardens
Meteor showers are among the most captivating cosmic events enjoyed by countless communities across the planet whenever they light up the night sky.
However, most people will likely be unaware that millions of tiny micrometeorites – each measuring less than a millimetre and weighing less than a gram – make it through Earth’s atmosphere each day and land all around us.
A new project, led by the University of Plymouth, is encouraging residents in Plymouth and the surrounding areas to help find these visitors from space in the name of scientific research.
The Cosmic Dust in the City project is being led by Dr Stephen Grimes, Associate Professor in Stable Isotope Geochemistry and Climate Change in the University’s School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences.
Dr Grimes, the creator of the PlymouthMeteors website, is hoping this new citizen science focused initiative will inspire curiosity among people and encourage them to go out and find potential micrometeorites in their immediate surroundings.

Micrometeorites are extraterrestrial particles which survive atmospheric entry and fall to Earth, contributing to estimates of up to 44,000kg of space dust deposited daily.

Traditionally found in polar regions, deserts, and deep-sea sediments, there are recent studies showing they can also be found in urban environments like Plymouth. This project will transform mundane rooftops and gutters all around Plymouth into portals to the cosmos, creating a tangible link between everyday life and outer space. By involving schools, community groups and amateur science enthusiasts, we hope to engage more people in the world of scientific discovery.

Stephen GrimesDr Stephen Grimes
Associate Professor in Stable Isotope Geochemistry and Climate Change

The project – delivered in collaboration with The Box, Plymouth – is being funded through the Explore Awards programme, run by the University to help researchers develop meaningful collaborations with communities and partners locally and globally.
It will be split into three phases, the first will involve a series of public talks and workshops in schools, libraries, and community centres, along with guides and videos explaining what micrometeorites are and how to find them.
The second phase will encourage participants to gather sediment from rooftops and gutters, and using magnets, sieves, and microscopes – all provided by the project team and supported by online tutorials – to isolate candidate particles.
Phase three will see isolated candidate particles analysed at the Plymouth Electron Microscopy Centre (PEMC), one of the University’s state-of-the-art research facilities on Plymouth Science Park, with the results from these analyses being shared via a project website and a public exhibition showcasing discoveries.

Micrometeorites are samples of the Solar System’s building blocks which can offer insights into early planetary formation, Earth’s atmospheric history, and climate evolution. And citizen science projects such as ours can help overcome a key challenge in urban micrometeorite research, accessing multiple sample sites and processing material to build a national archive. Such an archive would enable researchers to assess cosmic dust flux, identify variations over millions of years, and improve understanding of where and when particles enter the atmosphere and how they change once they have landed on Earth.

Dr Stephen Grimes

How do you spot and collect a micrometeorite?

The short answer is that, with the naked eye at least, it’s almost impossible to see a micrometeorite. These particles measure less than a millimetre, meaning that if you look on the roof of your house or in a gutter, you wouldn’t be able to distinguish something that has come from outer space from any other particles or debris.
It’s the reason we’ll be providing detailed training about how samples should be collected and sent to us safely and appropriately, so that people aren’t putting themselves in any danger but also so any samples being shared with us have a good chance to be a micrometeorite. We’ll also provide equipment such as magnets and sieves – if something has come from space, it will likely include metals that will attach to the magnet and the sieves will enable people to sift possible micrometeorites from other materials.
A Porphyritic Olivine
A silicate porphyritic olivine micrometeorite recovered from the roof of the University's Charles Seale-Hayne library
 
SEM image taken at PEMC

Plymouth Electron Microscopy Centre (PEMC)

Futures2021 festival of discovery.Held as part of European Researchers Night, a range of events featuring academics from the University of Plymouth.Seas the Day (National Marine Aquarium) – world-leading experts from University of Plymouth’s Marine Institute will explore one of the global challenges facing our planet – how to protect our seas – through a range of talks and family activities.

Explore Awards

Meteorite

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

 

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

Our suite of degree programmes is focused on challenges including climate change, natural hazards, social justice, pollution, energy transitions, landscape and seascape conservation, and the sensitive development of natural resources.
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