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Whose work first explained continental drift with convection in the mantle?

Quick Answer

Arthur Holmes proposed that slow convection in Earth's mantle could move continents. His idea provided a possible mechanism for Wegener's continental drift.

The Full Story

Arthur Holmes suggested in the 1920s and 1930s that heat-driven convection currents in the mantle could move the crust at the surface. This was important because Alfred Wegener's drift hypothesis lacked a convincing mechanism. Holmes's model anticipated later understanding of plate motion, even though direct evidence would come decades later. The idea of mantle convection remains central to modern geodynamics.

Key Facts

1.Holmes proposed mantle convection in the 1920s-1930s
2.Wegener's drift theory lacked a mechanism
3.Mantle convection is still central in geology

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Suggested video title for this topic:

"The hidden engine that may move continents"

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