Ries crater impact event is believed to be the source of moldavite tektites found in Bohemia and Moravia (Czech Republic). The tektite melt originated from a sand-rich surface layer that was ejected to distances up to downrange of the crater. The shape of the strewnfield suggests that the direction of impact was from the west-southwest. Stone buildings in Nördlingen contain millions of tiny diamonds, all less than across. The impact that caused the Nördlinger Ries crater created an estimated of them when it impacted a local graphite deposit. Stone from this area was quarried and used to build the local buildings. Archaeology On one edge of the Nördlinger Ries are the Ofnet Caves, where, at the beginning of the 20th century, archaeologists discovered thirty-three human skulls dating to the Mesolithic period. Astronaut training The landing site for Apollo 14 is a heavily craterized terrain, and one of the science goals of the mission was to sample ejecta from the impact that formed Mare Imbrium. Nördlinger Ries is an easily accessible, large impact crater, making it a convenient analog for lunar craters. Because of this, it was used as a location to train Apollo 14 astronauts, so that they would be able to investigate lunar impact structures and related rocks. Astronauts Alan Shepard and Edgar Mitchell, as well as Apollo 14 backup astronauts Eugene Cernan and Joe Engle, trained here from August 10 to August 14, 1970. References External links Ries at Earth Impact Database Travel for Kids: Nordlingen, Germany Information on meteorite and aerial photo of town, scroll two thirds of the way down page Impact craters of Germany Miocene impact craters Neogene Germany Paleontological sites of Europe Landforms of Bavaria Landforms of Baden-Württemberg Natural regions of the Swabian Keuper-Lias Plains Geological type localities Donau-Ries