Continental Drift Theory

ESCI-2111 Earth Science

Continental Drift Theory

Continental drift theory is a comprehensive and detailed

theory proposed by a German meteorologist Alfred
Wegener. According to him, with the gathered large amount
of geologic and paleontological data, most of the geologic
time there is only one large mass supercontinent called
Pangaea.
ØAlexander von Humboldt -in 1800 noted
that there is an apparent fit in the borderline
of eastern South America and right side of
Africa.
ØAntonio Snider- Pellegrini - arounf 1850s,
a French scientist, found the identical fossils
in European and North American coast.
ØFrank B. Taylor -1908, from USA, invoked that
formation of the mountain ranges around the
globe is due continental collisions.
ØAlexander L. Du Toit -1937, a South African
geologist, modified Wegener’s hypothesis by
suggesting two primordial continents: Laurasia
in the north and Gondwana in the south.
Alfred Lothar Wegener (1880-1930)

ØBorn in Berlin, Germany

ØUniversity of Berlin -Ph.D. in
Astronomy.
ØProfessor in University of Graz
ØPublished work: Die Entstehung
der Kontinente und Ozeane (The
Origin of Continents and Oceans)
References

https://www.britannica.com/science/continental-drift-geology

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Alfred-Wegener