Dust could be the first material brought to Earth from outside our solar system

(Image credit: Twitter.com/NatureNews&Comment)

last updated 8 January 2015

They weigh just 10 trillionths of a gram, but could help astronomers unlock the mysteries of a different galaxy.

Researchers have been studying tiny specks of dust captured by NASA's Stardust spacecraft, believed to be the first material from outside our solar system ever brought back to Earth. These incredibly fragile pieces were caught in Stardust's collection panels during a seven year, 3 billion mile trip that ended in 2006. The cosmic dust was traveling at 20,000 mph when trapped by the Stardust, which according to one astronomer, was "like trying to stop bullets with cotton candy."

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Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.

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