Micrometeorites: A rain of cosmic dust

Every year a rain of cosmic dust falls on Earth. These tiny dust particles, called micrometeorites, are all around us, in the streets, in our homes, even on our clothes. Despite their ubiquity these particles are difficult to find amongst the billions of terrestrial dust grains. Collecting micrometeorites involves searching for them in locations where their is little terrestrial sediment, such as within Antarctic ice. These small rocks are, however, worth the effort, since they are samples of asteroids and comets and record the conditions under which our solar system formed. In the rain of cosmic dust, therefore, are answers to fundamental questions such as "why are we here" and "are we alone in the universe".