A new study led by researchers at the University of Duisburg-Essen and the German Aerospace Center (DLR) examines how gravity affects the physical behavior of asteroid-like “space dirt.” The research uses a large drop-tower facility where planetary simulants—materials designed to resemble asteroid regolith—are released into freefall. During the drop, scientists measure how the material changes, focusing on how “fluffy” it becomes under reduced gravitational conditions. The premise is that gravity varies widely across the solar system—from strong fields near massive bodies to very weak fields on small asteroids—and that this difference can influence how granular matter compacts or responds mechanically. Results from the work are reported as a preprint on arXiv. Both accounts describe the same central approach and aim: to quantify the degree to which asteroid-like material can be less dense or more expanded when gravity is minimal. The findings are presented as evidence that the structure of such regolith under low-gravity conditions may differ from what has been assumed based on prior expectations.