Cosmic cleaners: the scientists scouring English cathedral roofs for space dust

Mini missions are being launched amid the spires - a haven for dust particles that may contain clues about the cosmos and the early Earth

On the roof of Canterbury Cathedral, two planetary scientists are searching for cosmic dust. While the red brick parapet hides the streets, buildings and trees far below, only wispy clouds block the deep blue sky that extends into outer space.

The roaring of a vacuum cleaner breaks the silence and researcher Dr Penny Wozniakiewicz, dressed in hazmat suit with a bulky vacuum backpack, carefully traces a gutter with the tube of the suction machine.