1. Lack of a Plausible Mechanism: Wegener couldn't convincingly explain *how* the continents moved. He suggested that continents plowed through the ocean floor, but this was deemed physically impossible due to the immense forces required and the lack of evidence for such movement.
2. Limited Geological Evidence: While Wegener presented intriguing evidence like matching geological formations and fossils across continents, he lacked a comprehensive and convincing body of geological data to support his theory. His evidence was largely anecdotal and open to alternative interpretations.
3. Dominance of the Fixed-Earth Paradigm: The prevailing scientific consensus at the time was that the Earth's continents were fixed in position. This view was deeply entrenched and supported by many established scientists, making it difficult for Wegener's radical idea to gain traction.
4. Lack of Scientific Support: Wegener wasn't a geologist by training, and his work was often dismissed by the geological community. He faced criticism for lacking a formal scientific background and for not publishing in mainstream geological journals.
5. Misinterpretations and Misrepresentations: Some of Wegener's ideas, like the rate of continental drift, were inaccurate and exaggerated, which contributed to the skepticism.
6. Opposition from Prominent Scientists: Some prominent geologists, like the American geologist, Frank Taylor, fiercely opposed Wegener's hypothesis. They argued against it using established geological knowledge and presented alternative explanations for the observed geological phenomena.
It wasn't until the 1950s and 1960s, with the emergence of new evidence from plate tectonics, that Wegener's ideas were finally accepted and his hypothesis was vindicated. The discovery of sea-floor spreading and paleomagnetism provided the missing mechanism for continental drift and solidified the theory of plate tectonics, which builds upon Wegener's work.
