Wegener's granulomatosis? - Answers

Alfred Lothar Wegener (November 1, 1880 – November 3, 1930) was a German meteorologist and geophysicist who is best known for his theory of continental drift. He was the first person to propose that the continents had once been joined together and had drifted apart over time.

Wegener was born in Berlin, Germany, in 1880. He studied astronomy, meteorology, and geophysics at the University of Berlin. After graduating, he worked as a meteorologist for the German Weather Service. In 1905, he published his first paper on continental drift.

Continental Drift

In his theory of continental drift, Wegener proposed that the Earth's continents had once been joined together in a single landmass, which he called Pangea. He argued that Pangea had begun to break up around 200 million years ago and that the continents had drifted apart to their current positions. Wegener's theory was based on several lines of evidence:

1. The shapes of the continents fit together like pieces of a puzzle. For example, the east coast of South America and the west coast of Africa match up almost perfectly.

2. There is evidence of similar geological formations on different continents, such as the same types of rocks and the same fossils. For example, fossils of the same types of plants and animals have been found on continents that are now separated by oceans.

3. The distribution of climates on Earth can be explained by continental drift. For example, the tropics are located near the equator, which is where Pangea would have been located.

Wegener's theory of continental drift was initially rejected by most scientists. They did not believe that it was possible for the continents to move through the Earth's crust. However, Wegener's theory gained support in the 1960s and 1970s, thanks to the development of plate tectonics.

Plate Tectonics

Plate tectonics is a scientific theory that explains the movements of the Earth's continents and oceans. According to plate tectonics, the Earth's lithosphere (the rigid outer layer of the Earth) is divided into several tectonic plates that move over the Earth's mantle (the hot, viscous layer of rock below the lithosphere). The movement of the tectonic plates is driven by convection currents in the mantle.

The theory of plate tectonics provides a more complete explanation of continental drift than Wegener's theory. Plate tectonics explains how the continents can drift apart and how the Earth's surface can change over time.

Legacy

Alfred Wegener was a brilliant scientist who made a major contribution to our understanding of the Earth. His theory of continental drift was a revolutionary idea that changed the way we think about the Earth's history. Wegener's work laid the foundation for the field of plate tectonics, which is one of the most important theories in geology.

Wegener was a tragic figure. He died at the age of 50 in a plane crash while he was on an expedition to Greenland. His body was never found. However, his legacy lives on. His theory of continental drift is still considered to be one of the most important scientific discoveries of the 20th century.