During StAnD, your students will have a chance to hunt for micrometeorites.
These tiny particles, thought to have come from the oldest matter there is, are the remnants of minerals from even before the planets in our Solar System formed. They may even contain dust that’s older than the Sun itself!
Micrometeorites are like time capsules from the early days of the solar system, when the planets were first forming. By studying the chemical makeup of micrometeorites, scientists can learn about the conditions that existed billions of years ago, and how our solar system has changed over time.
Each participating school will receive a micrometeorite toolkit, like the one in this photo, containing a microscope, to examine the particles more easily, a container to store them, and a magnet, as well as instructions on how to set up a micrometeorite hunt.
We will soon provide a list of the items in the kit on the website, so that any school wishing to organise their own micrometeorite hunts can do so, and join the StAnD community wherever they are in the world!
We look forward to hearing from anyone who uses this kit and wishes to share their experience.