Original version

BBC World Service South Asia

Discovery

Documentaries

Factual: Science & Nature

Factual: Science & Nature: Science & Technology

No Master Brand

BBC World Service Australasia

BBC World Service Online

BBC World Service schedule for American satellite radio and the Caribbean

BBC World Service Americas and the Caribbean

BBC World Service

BBC World Service News Internet

BBC World Service Europe and the Middle East

BBC World Service East Asia

BBC Afghan Radio

BBC World Service East and Southern Africa Schedule

BBC World Service East and Southern Africa

BBC World Service West and Central Africa Schedule

BBC World Service West and Central Africa

Discovery: In search of stardust

Magazines & Reviews

In search of stardust

24/07/2023 GMT

BBC World Service - Discovery, In search of stardust

A jazz musician becomes a cosmic dust hunter

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’t 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 BBC? 

Featuring Jon Larsen, Dr Matthew Genge and Svein Aarbostad.

Presenter: Caroline Steel

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

Accessibility links

Programme Index

Discovery

In search of stardust

Genres

Formats

Brand

BBC World Service South Asia

About BBC World Service