“we see short period layers within time frames we can measure, such as the history of settlements”
and almost invariably, the accumulation of that material is caused by macroscopic events, not by just sitting there & accumulating dust - the exact opposite of the “layers” lunacy
Who said it is ‘collecting dust’.. Most of the layers we see are from major events, volcanic, tectonic, meteoric, etc. HOWEVER, you can see ‘dust’ (to use your term) accumulation create these layers before our eyes in the Sahara where compression sandstone is being created above roads paved just a few decades ago. You can also see layers being created in peat bogs throughout the world as organic matter ‘composts’ I suppose both of these examples would fit the proverbial ‘dust falling’ comment.