Alfred Wegener's continental drift theory has subsequently been honed by scientific discoveries to the more all-inclusive plate tectonic theory which is generally accepted by earth scientists.
One weakness of Wegener's proposal of continental drift was the lack of a mechanism to explain how continents could move. Additionally, Wegener's theory was not widely accepted at the time due to insufficient supporting evidence and the reluctance of the scientific community to accept such a radical idea.
Scientists accepted continental drift after observations of matching geological formations and fossils on different continents, the discovery of mid-ocean ridges and magnetic striping on the ocean floor, and the development of plate tectonics theory to explain these phenomena. This provided a comprehensive explanation for the movement of continents over time.
Evidence such as the shape of continents and similar fossils found on various continents help demonstrate that some continents may have been connected. It took decades for many to accept the theory because the idea was first introduced in 1912.
Many scientists initially rejected the hypothesis of continental drift because there was a lack of a plausible mechanism to explain how continents could move. Additionally, the idea went against established scientific beliefs at the time and was considered too radical. It was not until the development of the theory of plate tectonics that continental drift was more widely accepted in the scientific community.
Alfred Wegener was a German scientist who was the first one to discover the continental drift. In 1915, Alfred Wegener, suggested that about 300 million years ago all of Earth's land masses, which were in constant motion, collided to form one supercontinent. He called it Pangaea , which means " all land". About 200 million years ago, the supercontinent of Pangaea started to break up. The pieces drifted in different directions to their present positions. Wegener had 4 proofs for his theory of continental drift. Most scientists did not accept the theory because Wegener could not explain what force was powerful enough to move continents. Wegener tried to prove his theory: He saw the jigsaw fit between South America and Africa. He found fossils of the same plants and animals on both continents. He believed that they exist in both places only if the continents were once joined together. It was not until the 1960's that the technology existed to develop Wegener's theory further. By 1968, a new and more complete theory known as plate tectonics had been developed.
why did other scientist not accpet Alfred Wegeners theory
One day while scientists were exploring the sea floor, they discovered sea-floor spreading, thus proving Wegener's hypothesis to be correct.
Alfred Wegener did not have the "HOW" factor- because of no evidence on the process, they could not believe his theory.
Scientists in 1915 did not accept Alfred Wegener's idea of continental drift because he lacked a plausible mechanism for how the continents could move. Additionally, Wegener's ideas were seen as radical and went against the prevailing scientific beliefs of the time, so there was resistance to accepting his theory without more concrete evidence. The technology available at the time also did not provide the necessary tools to support Wegener's hypothesis.
Accumulating data, especially proof of sea floor spreading.
When Alfred Wegener first proposed the continental drift theory in the early 20th century, it was met with skepticism because he did not have a mechanism to explain how the continents moved. Additionally, Wegener's idea challenged long-established geological theories and faced resistance from scientists who were reluctant to accept a new paradigm. It wasn't until the development of the theory of plate tectonics in the 1960s that Wegener's ideas gained widespread acceptance.
The discovery of seafloor spreading and the mapping of plate tectonics boundaries in the mid-20th century caused scientists to re-evaluate and eventually accept Alfred Wegener's hypothesis of continental drift, leading to the development of the theory of plate tectonics. These discoveries provided a mechanism for how continents could move and interact with each other.
One weakness of Wegener's proposal of continental drift was the lack of a mechanism to explain how continents could move. Additionally, Wegener's theory was not widely accepted at the time due to insufficient supporting evidence and the reluctance of the scientific community to accept such a radical idea.
About a century ago, Alfred Wegener noticed that some of the world's continents actually looked like they could fit together like puzzle pieces, even though they were hundreds or even thousands of miles apart. Additionally, fossils found in these "matching" areas seemed to be very similar. This led Wegener to develop his theory of continental drift, which most scientists today accept.
Continental
One reason the scientific community doubted him was because he wasn't able to come up with an explanation for how the continents were moving, & where the force to move them was coming from.
During Wegener's time, modern clues such as advancements in technology and research methods were not available. Additionally, the scientific community at that time did not widely accept the theory of continental drift proposed by Wegener, which limited the exploration and investigation of supporting evidence.