Sherica Bianca

Continental Drift

Proposed by scientist Alfred Wegener, the theory of continental drift was one of the
earliest ways to explain why continents moved over time. Wegener noticed that the
shape of Earth’s continents, such as South America and Africa, could fit together like
a jigsaw puzzle. He also studied fossils from different continents that showed the
remains of identical plants and animals spread throughout the world. For example,
dinosaurs lived during the Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous periods. As Pangaea
broke into different pieces, fossils show that dinosaurs spread to different continents
and evolved into different species over time. Based on this evidence, Wegener
theorized that all of Earth’s continents were originally united in the supercontinent
Pangaea. Over time, they drifted apart to their current positions.

“Continental Drift” by USGS is public domain

While parts of this theory were correct, Wegener’s ideas had some flaws. For
example, Wegener was unable to explain how the continents had separated over time.
Consequently, this theory was replaced by the plate tectonics theory which is
discussed in the next chapter, “Earth’s Structure: At the Surface and Underground”.
Animation of continental drift “Pangaea Animation” by USGS is public domain
Key Takeaways
Timeline of Earth’s History: