The continents were once joined together in a single supercontinent called Pangaea, which subsequently broke apart and drifted to their present positions.
He supported his hypothesis with several key pieces of evidence:
* Matching coastlines: The coastlines of continents like South America and Africa fit together like puzzle pieces.
* Fossil evidence: Identical fossils of land animals and plants were found on continents now separated by vast oceans, suggesting that they were once connected.
* Geological similarities: Similar rock formations and mountain ranges were found on different continents, suggesting that they were once part of the same landmass.
* Climate evidence: Evidence of glaciers and tropical climates in regions with vastly different climates today supported the idea of continental movement.
Wegener's hypothesis faced significant resistance initially due to lack of a plausible mechanism for continental movement. He proposed that the continents were plowing through the oceanic crust, but this idea was widely criticized.
It wasn't until the 1960s that the theory of plate tectonics emerged, providing a mechanism for continental drift and solidifying Wegener's initial hypothesis. Plate tectonics explains that the Earth's outer layer, called the lithosphere, is made up of large plates that move and interact, causing continents to drift.
While Wegener's initial hypothesis was not fully accepted during his lifetime, his work laid the foundation for the development of the modern theory of plate tectonics, one of the most important scientific advancements in the 20th century.
