He started the scientific debate that became the theory of plate tectonics 50 years later, in the early 1960s. The reaction to alfred wegeners theory tells us much about the workings of science. Photograph courtesy of the alfred wegener institute for polar and marine research, bremerhaven, germany. The origin of continents and oceans by alfred wegener. German climatologist and geophysicist who, in 1915, published as expanded version of his 1912 book the origin of continents and oceans. Alfred wegener has 15 books on goodreads with 414 ratings. Wegener died while on an expedition to greenland in. He was famous with his kontinentalverschiebung or theory of continental drift that he made in 1912. Though plate tectonics is by no means synonymous with continental drift, the term encompasses this idea and derives much of its impact from it. Moreover, he was interested in the distribution of past climates. About 300 million years ago, claimed wegener, the continents had formed a single mass, called pangaea from the greek for all the earth. Photograph courtesy of the alfred wegener institute for. This work was one of the first to suggest continental drift and plate tectonics.
Nov, 2006 alfred wegener was the first to offer evidence that our continents were once one great land mass. His theory was rejected by most geologists during his lifetime but was resurrected and made a central feature of modern geology as part of the theory of plate tectonics in. Science, exploration, and the theory of continental drift greene, mott t. The family has a vacation home located near rheinsberg that they bought in 1886.
At some time during the mesozoic era, pangaea fragmented and the parts began to drift apart. First edition, journal issues in the original printed wrappers. Richard taught classical languages in one of the most prestigious educational institute, evangelisches gymnasium zum grauen kloster, of germany. He had put forwarded this hypothesis in order to explain the distribution of the present day oceans and continents.
He is most notable for his theory of continental drift, which he proposed in 1912. Because of the first world war, wegener s book went unnoticed outside germany. Alfred wegner was born, in an affluent german family, in the capital city of berlin, on november 1, 1880. The origins of this theory comes from the continental drift theory, which was introduced in 1912 by german scientist alfred wegener. He is most notable for his 1912 theory of continental drift, which was not accepted until the 1950s, when numerous discoveries such as paleomagnetism confirmed his hypothesis. Mott greene s new and groundbreaking book on wegener, alfred wegener.
In 1912 alfred wegener 18801930 noticed the same thing and proposed that the continents were once compressed into a single protocontinent which he called pangaea meaning all lands, and over time they have drifted apart into their current distribution. During the years from 1912 to 19 wegener took part for the second time in an expedition to greenland. Alfred lothar wegener 1 november 1880 in berlin 2 november 1930 was a german scientist, geologist, and meteorologist. Essay about alfred wegener and the continental drift. Alfred wegener 18801930 was a german scientist, geophysicist and meteorologist. Close examination of a globe often results in the observation that most of the continents seem to fit together like a puzzle. In addition, wegeners explanation for continental drift was weak. He had no satisfactory mechanism to offer, but appealed. Other scientists at the time had observed the similarities in fossils in south america and africa. This hypothesis is called pangaea because the greek word pan means all and gaea or gaia or ge was the greek name of the divine personification of the earth. Wegener died on this journey, probably of a heart attack. Wegener published what would be the final edition of his book the origin of continents and oceans in 1929. Jan 30, 2019 in 1912 a german meteorologist named alfred wegener 18801931 hypothesized a single protosupercontinent that divided up into the continents we now know because of continental drift and plate tectonics. On an unknown day in midnovember 1930, alfred wegener died at the age of 50 on his fourth expedition to greenland.
In 1912 the meteorologist alfred wegener independently developed what he called continental drift, expanded in his 1915 book the origin of continents and oceans. Alfred lothar wegener was a german polar researcher, geophysicist and meteorologist. Continental drift theory by alfred wegener brainery. These then drifted apart to form the present arrangement of continents. His ideas were largely ignored at the time they were developed, but today they are widely accepted by the scientific community. His theory was rejected by most geologists during his lifetime but was resurrected and made a central feature of modern geology as part of the theory of plate tectonics in the 1960s. In 1912 the german meteorologist alfred wegener proposed that throughout most of geologic time there was only one continental mass, which he named pangaea. Returning, he accepted a post as tutor at the university of marburg, taking time to visit greenland again in 191219. In 1915 alfred wegener wrote a book called the origins of continents and oceans. Wegener died while on an expedition to greenland in the first week of november 1930.
He worked as a teacher of classical languages and a theologian. He revised this book several times up to 1929, and it was translated into french, english, spanish, and russian. A large super continent pangea split into smaller fragments about 200300 million years ago. We really are one world, according to the findings of alfred wegener, a. A masterful biography of alfred wegener 18801930, the german scientist who discovered continental drift. Wegener s first publication on continental drift appeared in three issues of petermanns mitteilung in apriljune 1912. Alfred lothar wegener 1 november 1880 november 1930 was a german scientist and meteorologist. His father, richard wegener, was a theologian and teacher of classical languages at the berlinisches gymnasium zum grauen kloster. The origin of continents and oceans dover earth science paperback november 16.
His book, the origin of continents and oceans, was published in 1912. Because of the first world war, wegeners book went unnoticed outside germany. Alfred wegener simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Alfred wegener aimed to create a revolution in science which would rank with those of nicolaus copernicus and charles darwin. Text antonio sniderpellegrinis illustration of the closed and. In 1912 german meteorologist alfred wegener, impressed by the similarity of the geography of the atlantic coastlines, explicitly presented the concept of continental drift. He published his theory in full in his book the origin of continents and oceans in 1915 first presented in 1912. Alfred lothar wegener b 1111880 in berlin, d 2111930 in greenland was born in germany where his father was a minister. Alfred wegener biography childhood, life achievements. In 1912 a german meteorologist named alfred wegener 18801931 hypothesized a single protosupercontinent that divided up into the continents we now know because of continental drift and plate tectonics. May 15, 2019 alfred wegener november 1, 1880november 1930 was a german meteorologist and geophysicist who developed the first theory of continental drift and formulated the idea that a supercontinent known as pangaea existed on the earth millions of years ago. We really are one world, according to the findings of alfred wegener, a guy who really knew his. Alfred wegener institut at the beginning of 1912 he introduced to the public for the first time his considerations for the continental movement.
In 1914 he was drafted into the german army, but was released from combat duty after being wounded, and served out the war. Wegners father was a classical languages teacher and pastor. Dec 19, 2017 continental drift was a theory that explained how continents shift position on earths surface. Alfredwegenerinstitut at the beginning of 1912 he introduced to the public for the first time his considerations for the continental movement. Plate tectonics in 1912 the meteorologist alfred wegener. Using this pioneering interdisciplinary approach, wegener wrote one of the most influential and controversial books in the history of science. He also had ideas about why the continents drift, which other scientists thought. The name pangaeapangea is derived from ancient greek pan, all, entire, whole and gaia.
This was the idea that the continents were slowly drifting around the earth. Plate tectonics development of tectonic theory britannica. Alfred wegener left and an innuit guide on 1 november 1930 during his final meteorological expedition in greenland. Though plate tectonics is by no means synonymous with continental drift, the term encompasses this idea and derives much of.
However, many embraced the idea that these were the result of a land bridge between the two continents. During his lifetime he was primarily known for his achievements in meteorology and as a pioneer of polar research, but today he is most remembered as the originator of the theory of continental drift by hypothesizing in 1912 that the continents are slowly drifting around the earth. It was only in the 1960s that continental drift finally became part of mainstream science. What is plate tectonics plate tectonics is the theory that earths outer shell is divided into several plates that glide over the mantle, the rocky in.
Greene follows wegeners life, career and scientific contributions in chronological order. Facts about alfred wegener were a meteorologist, polar researcher and geophysicist from germany. He was born on 1 november 1880 and passed away on november 1930. This book has helped me understand where wagner was coming from and the scientists and processes that inspired his ideas. Science, exploration and the theory of continental drift, adds much to the literature and literacy about one of the giants of earth science.
Wegeners death and drifts hiatus the mountain mystery. The hypothesis of continental drift theory was put forwarded by the german scholar alfred wegener, in the year 1912. In 1922, however, a third revised edition was translated into. Alfred wegener proposed the theory of continental drift the idea that earths continents move. Wegener is remembered today as the originator and one of the chief proponents of the theory of continental drift, which he conceived after being struck by the apparent correspondence in the shapes of the coastlines on the west and east sides of the atlantic, and supported with extensive research on. Foremost in this effort was to show wegeners thinking and his construction of the continental drift argument. What idea did alfred wegener propose in 1912 answers.
Nov 16, 2011 alfred wegener 18801930 was a german scientist, geophysicist and meteorologist. Despite publishing a large body of compelling fossil and rock evidence for his theory between 1912 and 1929, it was rejected by most other scientists. This hypothesis is called pangaea because the greek word pan means all and gaea or gaia or ge was the greek name of the divine. He was the fifth child of churchman richard and housemaker anna wegener. This is one of the last photographs of wegener, who died later during the expedition see text. The above photograph of wegener was taken during this expedition. Why was alfred wegeners continental drift theory rejected. Alfred wegener was the first to offer evidence that our continents were once one great land mass. Alfred wegener november 1, 1880november 1930 was a german meteorologist and geophysicist who developed the first theory of continental drift and formulated the idea that a supercontinent known as pangaea existed on the earth millions of years ago. In 1915 the first edition of the origin of continents and oceans, a book outlining wegener s theory, was published. At the time he was unable to demonstrate a mechanism for this movement, and other scientists thought it was simply impossible. From wikipedia, the free encyclopedia continental drift is the movement of the earths continents relative to each other.
Alfred wegener has 15 books on goodreads with 407 ratings. In 1912, alfred wegener proposed a theory that the continents had once been joined, and over time had drifted apart. Science, exploration, and the theory of continental drift. The origin of continents and oceans dover earth science. But wegener who first outlined his theory at a scientific meeting in 1912 took it seriously, collecting a mass of supporting evidence to support. Alfred wegener was born on november 1, 1880 in berlin, germany. Wegener took the areas that had been covered by ice. Alfred wegener, german meteorologist and geophysicist who formulated the first complete statement of the continental drift hypothesis. If youve been following my past weeks posts, you saw alfred wegener enter our story as a meteorologist, you saw how fossils and climate inspired his theory, then looked at the publication of wegeners papers and book between 1912 and 1915, and yesterday, you read about the ugly rejection of his drift theory.
His hypothesis was controversial and widely rejected by mainstream geology until the 1950s, when numerous discoveries such as palaeo. The reaction to alfred wegener s theory tells us much about the workings of science. Continental drift wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Winner of the choice outstanding academic title of the choice acrl. The origin of continents and oceans paperback nov 16 2011. January 6, 1912 the german meteorologist alfred wegener presented in a lecture entitled. Oct 18, 2015 but wegener who first outlined his theory at a scientific meeting in 1912 took it seriously, collecting a mass of supporting evidence to support the book which, three years later, outlined. Set forth in 1912 by alfred wegener, a geophysicist and meteorologist, continental drift also. As a child he was always very keen on outdoor activities and loved hiking walking and skating. The origin of continents and oceans alfred wegener. As of the start of 1912, the gregorian calendar was days ahead of the julian.
He is most notable for his theory of continental drift, which he. Alfred wegeners most popular book is the origin of continents and oceans. Alfred wegener was born in berlin on 1 november 1880 as the youngest of five children in a clergymans family. I teach high school earth science and wagners theory of continental drift is a big part of the plate tectonics unit every year. Excerpts and readings on alfred wegener 18801930 biographical note. The origin of continents and oceans, published in 1915. Wegener showed that the continents had split apart and drifted away from one another over geological time.
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