-
First One to Come Up with the Continental Drift Theory
Abraham Ortelius was the first one to have speculated that the continents might have drifted and that the Americas were torn away from Europe and Africa. The only evidence he had though was just that the continents could fit together like a jig saw puzzle. The scientific community didn't take this theory seriously and just erased from their minds as there was literally no evidence supporting it and it seemed impossible for continents to be able to drift or move away. -
Book Publish of "The Creation and its Mysteries Unveiled"
Antonio Snider Pellegrini published this book and theory was that the continents were once together but then drifted apart from each other. Evidence was the map he drew himself showing how the Americas and Africa fit together and found identical plant fossils in Europe and U.S plus also finding other matching fossils in different continents. The scientific community however didn't pay any attention to this as there was no evidence in how could these continents be moved and by what force. -
The Pangaea Alfred Wegener Theory
Alfred Wegener theory was that the continents were once joined together called the Pangaea and over time drifted apart.Evidence was same species of fossils being found in other continents and if continents put together the fossils connect, coal deposits being in North Pole despite there no being tropical climate, proof of glaciation in plains of Africa which shouldn't be up there. Scientific community rejected it extremely as how could continents move and went agains their scientific beliefs. -
PublishedProposed Theory of How Continents can Actually Move Principles of Physical Geology
Arthur Holmes theory was that Earth's mantle had convection cells that released radioactive heat which moved the crust at the surface. Evidence was that it save potential explanation for continental rifting and mountain formation plus the huge amount of radioactive heat must go somewhere which presumably goes to the crust possibly moving the surface and continents. Scientist however didn't accept this theory as it was mostly speculative without hard data to support this. -
Published 'The History of Ocean Basins' or Theory of Sea Floor Spreading
Hess theorized that ocean trenches were the locations of where ocean floor was recycled and destroyed causing sea floor spreading moving the continents. Evidence was mid ocean ridges was raised above surrounding sea floor which meant possibly basalt coming out of Earth's mantle in these mid ocean ridges in which it thermally expanded the ridge and making new sea floor and recycles and repeats process again. Scientist though still weren't convinced as it didn't have geophysical evidence of this. -
First Completed Paper Theory of the Magnetic Strips in the Ridges
Morley theory was that iron rich rocks and ridges remembered or showed field reversals of magnetic properties with a record of its direction and intensity of Earth's magnetic field. Evidence was in undersea maps showing normal and reverse magnetism and two magnetic orientations were presented in black and white strips. Also was build on earlier theories of continental drift and spreading of seafloor. Scientific community rejected the paper as it was highly speculative and outlandish not enough. -
Paper of Magnetic anomalies over oceanic ridges or Vine-Matthews Hypothesis
Matthew's and Vine's theory was that due to the magnetic stripes being symmetrical in the ocean floor found that possibly that ocean floor was created at mid ocean ridges, then split in half sideways causing sea floor spreading moving the continents. Evidence was that the basalts were of the same age and equal distance apart from each other as well of the symmetrical magnetic stripes. Scientific community looked at it in skepticism but with the evidence they accepted continental drift theory. -
Continental Drift Theory Finally Accepted the Two Papers that were Published
Wilson, Hess, and Vine deduced that there should be a ridge between two faults off the coast of Washington and Oregon that gave physical proof of the magnetic phenomenon of seafloor spreading and the continents moving.Evidence was that there was a magnetic survey of that area and showed the black and white stripes which when they found the ridge matched symmetrically with the other side of the ridge. The scientific community accepted this theory as it had physical and data proof of the drift.
