THE NERD FILES, ch.1

One day, many years from now, I'm going to travel to Noerdlingen, Germany. "Why!? Angie? WHY do you want to travel to NOERDLINGEN, Germany?"

Well, that's a good question. My brother Joe lived in Germany for a few years. He's told me it's a pretty great place - used to say he didn't want to move home, even. But he never mentioned Noerdlingen. If he had, I suspect I would have found a way to come visit.

Noerdlingen, Germany, is an entire town built on a impact crater. GASP!

Yeah, that's right. An impact crater - formed when a meteorite hit the earth (you remember this stuff...). I mean, this isn't like four row houses and a well. We're talking about an entire German town. And the church - right smack in the middle - the stone that the church is built of - it's built from the impacted stone from the u.. well, from the impact. And if you look at the town (which you'll see if you'll click on that link), you'll see that the town is totally built in a circle! in the shape of the crater. Too funny! But the scientists didn't see it at first because it was too obvious; no one could "see" the crater because the town was in the way!

Just imagine - all over that town, you can probably wall around and look at the rocks. Awesome.

And yes, I know, there's a much bigger, well preserved impact crater here in the states. Meteor Crater in AZ. I'd like to see it, too. I'm a little grossed out by the website, because it's so commercial, but...whatever. That's not the crater's fault, is it?

[edit: no coicidence then that the town's name looks like it might be pronounced "NERDlingen".]