Advances in lidar technology have enabled the detection of Metal Ion Clouds (MICs) at altitudes between 120–300 km in the Earth’s thermosphere. Observations from a Ca⁺ lidar in Beijing, China, reveal that these MICs are characterized by tightly packed, stripe-like structures that span extensive areas, covering hundreds to thousands of square kilometers. Some of these stripes extend downward to the Main Metal Layer (MML) around 100 km, and some clouds descend with tidal winds and merge into the underlying MML. While arriving the altitudes of Mesosphere and Low-Thermosphere (MLT), they lead to an increase in Sporadic-E (Es) layer density, and even trigger the formation of a new Es layer. The metal ions in the upper thermosphere will eventually sink into the MML and significantly affect its density variations. The striped structure of MICs and their direct effects on Es and MML suggest they originate from meteoroid trails, challenging traditional views on meteoric input.