Whose idea was the modern theory of plate tectonics that explains ocean basins and seafloor spreading?
Quick Answer
The modern theory is associated especially with J. Tuzo Wilson, Harry Hess, and Fred Vine and Drummond Matthews. Their work in the 1960s helped explain how new ocean crust forms and moves.
The Full Story
The modern theory of plate tectonics grew from several scientists’ contributions, especially J. Tuzo Wilson, Harry Hess, and the magnetic-stripe work of Fred Vine and Drummond Matthews. Hess proposed in 1962 that new crust forms at mid-ocean ridges and spreads outward. Vine and Matthews showed in 1963 that alternating magnetic полосы on the seafloor matched reversals in Earth's magnetic field, supporting seafloor spreading. Wilson later helped unify these ideas into the global plate-tectonic framework.
Key Facts
YouTube Angle
Suggested video title for this topic:
"How ocean-floor stripes rewrote our entire planet’s story"
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