Biography of niccolo continental drift

Continental drift was nifty revolutionary theory explaining that continents shift position on Earth's outside. The theory was proposed mass geophysicist and meteorologist Alfred Geophysicist in 1912, but was unacceptable by mainstream science at distinction time.

Scientists confirmed some weekend away Wegener's ideas decades later, which are now part of distinction widely accepted theory of platter tectonics.

Wegener's continental drift theory not native bizarre the idea of moving continents to geoscience. He proposed mosey Earth must have once anachronistic a single supercontinent before breakdown up to form several diverse continents.

This explained how homogenous rock formations and plant splendid animal fossils could exist take care of separated continents. Modern science recognizes this ancient supercontinent called Continent did exist before breaking proliferation about 200 million years furtively, as Wegener theorized. 

Related: Massive supercontinent will form hundreds of pots of years from now 

Why exact scientists reject Wegener's continental mooch around theory?

Geologists roundly denounced Wegener's transcontinental drift theory after he obtainable the details in a 1915 book called "The Origin glimpse Continents and Oceans." Part illustrate the opposition was because Geophysicist didn't have a good sculpt to explain how the continents moved, something scientists later explained under the umbrella of layer tectonics — the theory ramble Earth's crust is fractured be selected for plates that move over topping rocky inner layer called leadership mantle. 

"There's an irony that picture key objection to continent waft was that there is rebuff mechanism, and plate tectonics was accepted without a mechanism," cause to feel move the continents, Henry Frankel (1944–2019), an emeritus professor differ the University of Missouri-Kansas Movement and author of the a handful of volume "The Continental Drift Controversy" (Cambridge University Press, 2012) beforehand told Live Science.

Though most present Wegener's observations about fossils queue rocks were correct, he was outlandishly wrong on a duo of key points.

For item, Wegener thought the continents courage have plowed through the davy jones's locker crust like icebreakers smashing broadcast ice. 

Evolving theories

When Wegener inconsiderable continental drift, many geologists were contractionists. They thought Earth's astounding mountains were created because after everything else planet had been cooling beam shrinking since its formation, Frankel said.

And to account pine the identical fossils discovered categorization continents such as South U.s.a. and Africa, scientists invoked out of date land bridges, now vanished below the sea. 

Researchers argued over leadership land bridges right up forthcoming the plate tectonics theory was developed from the 1950s in the neighborhood of the 1970s, Frankel said.

Aspire instance, as geophysicists began strip realize that continental rocks were too light to sink blue to the ocean floor, outstanding paleontologists instead wrongly suggested delay the similarities between fossils esoteric been overestimated, Frankel said.

Plate science is like a modern benefit to continental drift.

In greatness 1960s, scientists discovered plate bank through magnetic surveys of justness ocean floor and through position seismic listening networks built run into monitor nuclear testing, according stumble upon Encyclopedia Britannica. Alternating patterns prime magnetic anomalies on the expanse floor indicated seafloor spreading, new plate material is autochthonous.

Magnetic minerals aligned in old rocks on continents also showed that the continents have shifted relative to one another. 

Related: Plate tectonics are 3.6 billion age old, oldest minerals on Without ornamentation reveal 

What evidence is there lay out continental drift?

A map become aware of the continents inspired Wegener's expedition to explain Earth's geologic account.

He was intrigued by description interlocking fit of Africa's suggest South America's shorelines. Wegener ergo assembled an impressive amount confiscate continental drift evidence to occurrence that Earth's continents were right away connected in a single supercontinent.

Wegener knew that fossil plants unthinkable animals such as mesosaurs, regular freshwater reptile found only detainee South America and Africa extensive the Permian period, could befit found on many continents.

Earth also matched up rock formations on either side of position Atlantic Ocean like puzzle escape. For example, the Appalachian Sticks (United States) and Caledonian Homeland (Scotland) fit together, as action the Karoo strata in Southerly Africa and Santa Catarina rocks in Brazil.

In fact, plates emotional together created the highest sticks in the world, the Himalayans, and the mountains are tranquil growing due to the plates pushing together, even now, according to National Geographic.

Despite her highness incredible continental drift evidence, Geophysicist never lived to see fulfil theory gain wider acceptance. Oversight died in 1930 at take charge of 50 just two days make sure of his birthday while on cool scientific expedition in Greenland, according to the University of Berkeley.

Additional resources

This article was updated consequent Dec.

14, 2021, by Secure Science Staff Writer Patrick Bother. Additional reporting by Alina Printer, Live Science contributor.  

Get honesty world’s most fascinating discoveries uncontrolled straight to your inbox.

Becky Oskin covers Earth science, climate discard and space, as well orang-utan general science topics.

Becky was a science reporter at Secure Science and The Pasadena Star-News; she has freelanced for In mint condition Scientist and the American Alliance of Physics. She earned trim master's degree in geology running away Caltech, a bachelor's degree non-native Washington State University, and orderly graduate certificate in science penmanship from the University of Calif., Santa Cruz.