Carbonaceous dust grains seen in the first billion years of cosmic time

Journal article

Cosmic dust—tiny, ancient particles adrift in space—holds the secret to how planets, and ultimately life, are born. Though nearly invisible, these microscopic grains are the architects of worlds. Formed in the death throes of stars, they float through the cosmos, merging, colliding, and evolving over billions of years until gravity and chemistry weave them into planets. This humble dust bridges the past and future of the universe: the remnants of dying stars become the seeds of new solar systems. Yet, cosmic dust also challenges our perception of significance. In every grain lies a history older than Earth itself, a reminder that our planet and bodies are sculpted from the same interstellar material. Understanding cosmic dust reshapes humanity’s sense of origin and belonging—it shows that creation is not a singular event but an unending cosmic cycle of destruction, transformation, and rebirth

Authors: Witstok, J; Shivaei, I; Smit, R; Maiolino, R; Carniani, S

• Publication status: Published
• Peer review status: Peer reviewed
• Publisher: Nature Research
• Journal: Nature
• Volume: 621
• Issue: 7978
• Pages: 267-270
• Publication date: 2023-07-19
• DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06413-w
• EISSN: 1476-4687
• ISSN: 0028-0836
• Language: English
• Keywords: Astrophysics; Astrobiology; Billion years; Galaxy; Astronomy; Physics; Atmospheric sciences; COSMIC cancer database; Cosmic dust; Environmental science; Cosmic ray