Alfred Wegener
Alfred Wegener was a German meteorologist, geophysicist, and polar researcher who is best known for his theory of Continental Drift, which he proposed in 1912. Here are detailed insights into his life and contributions:
Early Life and Education
- Born on November 1, 1880, in Berlin, Germany, to Richard Wegener, an orphan house director, and Anna Wegener.
- Wegener studied at the University of Berlin, where he initially pursued astronomy but later shifted his focus to meteorology and geophysics.
Professional Career
Theory of Continental Drift
- In 1912, Wegener presented his theory of Continental Drift, suggesting that the continents had once been part of a single supercontinent, Pangaea, which later broke apart and drifted to their current positions.
- His evidence included the fit of the continents, fossil distribution, and geological similarities across continents now separated by oceans.
- Wegener published his theory in his book "The Origin of Continents and Oceans" in 1915.
Controversy and Reception
- Initially, Wegener's theory was met with skepticism and criticism due to the lack of a convincing mechanism for the movement of continents. The scientific community at the time did not widely accept his ideas.
- However, his work laid the groundwork for modern Plate Tectonics, which provided the mechanism (mantle convection) for continental drift.
Expedition to Greenland
- In 1930, Wegener led another expedition to Greenland to study the ice cap. During this expedition, he died on November 1, 1930, his 50th birthday, likely due to a heart attack or hypothermia while attempting to resupply a remote weather station.
Legacy
- Wegener's ideas were eventually validated by later scientific discoveries. The theory of Plate Tectonics in the 1960s provided the missing mechanism for his continental drift hypothesis.
- He is commemorated in various ways, including the Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research in Germany.
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