Dust
From Srafopedia
Mystical particles that appear to come from the sky and are attracted to adult humans. Dust is formed when matter begins to understand itself. Dust seems to reveal, or perhaps contain, the thing that makes human beings unique creatures. Although holding very different views about its essential nature, the Church, along with many powerful individuals and political groups, believes that mastery over Dust would be a source of great power.
The first time the reader hears of Dust, it is described as something that gathers on adults and not children- it is first introduced under the name of Rusakov Particles. It looks like tangible light, and is referred to by the Librarian as âa distant theological riddle. [TGC/NL, Chapter 2]
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Origins
The name "Dust" comes from the book of Genesis, and the Church believes that Dust is the embodiment of Original Sin. In fact, Dust is what allows human consciousness to exist. It appears to have existed for 33,000 years.
Dust is created by human creativity, kindness, and enlightenment. It disappears into the Abyss formed by the bomb which is used to attempt to destroy Lyra, and also into the edges of the windows formed by the Subtle Knife. Since the creation of the Knife, Dust had been disappearing, but it had begun to flood out of all the worlds when the Abyss was created, with disastrous consequences for everyone. Lyra and Will's love reversed the flow of Dust and saved the worlds.
Other Names
Dust is also known as:
Dust-Powered Tools
Dust is associated with many devices: The alethiometer uses Dust to foretell the future and discover the truth. The Amber Spyglass is used to see Dust in motion. The Cave is a computer which is used to communicate with Dust. I Ching is a divination technique that works by the same principle as the alethiometer.
