A tektite (left) and an Apache tear

Tektites, which are glassy spherules that represent once-molten material ejected from impact craters, can often be confused with Apache tears, which are glassy weathering products of volcanic lava flows. The sample on the left is a tektite from Indochina, while that on the right is an Apache tear from Arizona. Both objects are black.

To view QuickTime VR versions of these objects, click here. You will need Apple's QuickTime software to view them.