From the cosmos to a rooftop: Philippines records first urban micrometeorite

January 8, 2026 – 11:03 AM

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The micrometeorite, designated

PHMM 001

, was uncovered by

Mar Christian Cruz,

a researcher from the NMP’s Geology and Paleontology Division, in collaboration with

Guido Jonker

of Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. The find was announced by the National Museum as the country welcomed 2026.

PHMM 001 is extremely small, measuring only 238 micrometers wide, about two to three times thicker than a human hair—and weighing just 22.8 micrograms. The tiny particle was recovered from rooftop dust collected in Barangay Balon Anito in Mariveles, Bataan.

According to the museum, Cruz spent more than a year carefully examining collected dirt samples in search of a micrometeorite. To confirm its origin, the specimen underwent detailed analysis using an electron microscope to examine its shape and surface features. An energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometer was also used to identify its elemental composition.

The results showed that PHMM 001 matches the characteristics of

barred olivine cosmic spherules

, a type of micrometeorite formed when space rocks melt as they pass through Earth’s atmosphere. These findings confirmed that the particle is of extraterrestrial origin.

The National Museum said the discovery marks a significant milestone for Philippine meteoritics, the scientific study of meteors and meteorites. It also highlights that space science is not limited to telescopes and observatories, as even urban environments can yield valuable scientific discoveries with patience and careful study.

Researchers noted that the breakthrough opens opportunities to promote greater public awareness of space science and could encourage future collaborations between professional scientists and citizen researchers in the search for more Philippine micrometeorites.

—With Adrian Parungao