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The idea that one of Britain’s oldest cathedrals could help unlock the secrets of life in the solar system may sound far-fetched.
But that’s exactly what scientists are hoping for after embarking on a project to collect alien dust that has fallen from space onto ancient rooftops.
It is hoped that these particles, which come from comets and meteorites, may hold clues to how life on Earth originated.
A team of experts has compiled a list of 13 cathedrals that they believe are ideal locations to find samples of micrometeorites, starting with Canterbury Cathedral.
Some researchers from the University of Kent have now climbed to the top of the 1,000-year-old building to search for the particles, which are usually found only in places like Antarctica because ordinary Earth dust makes them difficult to detect.
Secrets of the Solar System: A team of planetary experts collect alien dust in the form of micrometeorites (shown in a 3D-printed image) from Canterbury Cathedral
Researchers from the University of Kent have now climbed to the top of the 1,000-year-old building to search for the particles
However, cathedral roofs are ideal places to find cosmic dust due to their size and inaccessibility.
Dr. Penny Wozniakiewicz, senior lecturer in space science at the University of Kent, said: ‘Until recently, it was generally believed that it would be very difficult to look for micrometeorites anywhere other than places like Antarctica – where we have very low background levels of terrestrial dust.
‘They arrive on Earth in large numbers, so we estimate that about 20,000 to 40,000 tons of extraterrestrial dust arrive every year.
“But that’s spread over the entire surface of the planet.”
She added: ‘There are estimates that about one to six particles will arrive per square meter per year if you spread it evenly.
“If you’re lucky, someone might hit you – but not hard. By the time they reach the surface, they float down.
“But in places other than Antarctica you obviously have large amounts of terrestrial dust that we’re making, and this can become very difficult to search through for cosmic dust.”
Dr. Matthias van Ginneken, a research associate at the University of Kent, said: ‘Micrometeorites are the particles that survive entry into the atmosphere.
‘Most of it burns up on reaching the atmosphere by collisions with air molecules; they become what we call meteoric smoke.
‘But micrometeorites range in size from a few tens of microns to roughly two millimetres.
It is hoped that these particles (pictured), which come from comets and meteorites, may hold clues to how life on Earth originated
Cathedral roofs like Canterbury’s (pictured) are ideal places to find cosmic dust due to their size and inaccessibility
“So the really big one you see with your naked eye like you see a black dot on your finger.”
After the samples are collected, the researchers return them to the lab in an attempt to isolate the cosmic dust from other matter found on the roof.
Dr. van Ginneken added: ‘You take it back to the lab and wash the sample, because roofs are pretty dirty. For example, there is a lot of bird droppings.
“Then, once it’s clean, you can use a microscope and spend hours and hours looking for bulbs.
“It’s a very long process.”
Dr. Wozniakiewicz said scientists often use magnets to collect micrometeorites.
“A really cool feature of a lot of alien dust is that they contain magnetic material,” she added.
“So you can increase your chances of finding a micrometeorite by using a magnet to actually separate the magnetic part and search through it.”
‘Then if you look for the particles that have actually passed through the atmosphere and melted, they will form very special spheres, very beautiful spheres.
‘In short, you do indeed find cosmic particles among the dust on roofs.’
Discoveries: This image shows the locations where cosmic dust was found on the cathedral
Pain strike: Once the samples are collected, the researchers will return them to the lab in an attempt to isolate the cosmic dust from other matter found on the roof
Dr. van Ginneken said the goal of the project was to find clues about how life on Earth originated.
“To keep it very simple, let’s say we know that amino acids are the building blocks of life,” he said.
‘They are fairly simple organic molecules; carbon-based molecules needed for life to emerge.
‘These molecules have been found on meteorites, but also on micrometeorites.
“So there is a possibility that the building blocks of life did not appear on Earth, but appeared in space and were then delivered to early Earth.
“And then the presence of water and energy causes these molecules to become more and more complex—which ultimately leads to the action of life.”
The team of researchers has also received permission from several other cathedrals around the country to conduct similar rooftop surveys.
Canterbury Cathedral was originally founded in 597, but was later rebuilt between 1070 and 1077, enlarged in the late 12th century, and rebuilt again in Gothic style after a fire in 1174.
The cathedral became a popular pilgrimage site because of the shrine of Thomas Becket – the archbishop who was murdered there in 1170.