Whose work first explained plate tectonics?
Quick Answer
Alfred Wegener proposed continental drift in 1912, but the full theory of plate tectonics emerged later in the 1960s. Wegener is still remembered as the pioneer of the idea.
The Full Story
Alfred Wegener, a German scientist, suggested in 1912 that the continents had once been joined in a supercontinent he called Pangaea. He assembled evidence from coastlines, fossils, rocks, and ancient climates to support continental drift. Although his idea was rejected during his lifetime because he could not explain the driving force, it later became central to plate tectonics. In the 1960s, ocean-floor mapping and seafloor spreading gave the mechanism Wegener lacked. His work is now seen as visionary.
Key Facts
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Suggested video title for this topic:
"The continents were once one giant puzzle piece."