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In search of stardust

A jazz musician becomes a cosmic dust hunter.

Norwegian jazz musician Jon Larsen was having breakfast one clear spring morning when he noticed a tiny black speck land on his clean, white table. With no wind, birds or planes in sight, he wondered if it fell from space.

Dust from space is not as fanciful as it sounds. Billions of microscopic meteorites, dating back to the birth of our solar system, fall onto Earth every year. But they are so tiny, hidden among the copious dust of everyday life, that scientists believe they are impossible to find outside ultra clean environments like Antarctica.

But this doesn鈥檛 deter Jon, who, against the advice of all experts, decides he is going to be the first person to find an urban micrometeorite.

He takes presenter Caroline Steel and planetary scientist Dr Matthew Genge up onto some roofs, in search of the elusive particles. Can we find stardust on the top of the 91热爆?

Featuring Jon Larsen, Dr Matthew Genge and Svein Aarbostad.

Presenter: Caroline Steel

(Image: Cygnus Nebulosity and Starclouds Credit: VW Pics / Contributor | Getty Images)

Available now

31 minutes

Last on

Tue 25 Jul 2023 19:32GMT

Broadcasts

  • Mon 24 Jul 2023 19:32GMT
  • Tue 25 Jul 2023 04:32GMT
  • Tue 25 Jul 2023 12:32GMT
  • Tue 25 Jul 2023 19:32GMT

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