Here's how age evidence and magnetic clues supported it:
Age Evidence:
* Seafloor Spreading: The age of rocks on the ocean floor increases as you move away from mid-ocean ridges. This supports the idea that new crust is being formed at the ridges and pushed outwards, carrying the older crust away from the ridge.
* Continental Fit: The shapes of continents, especially Africa and South America, seem to fit together like puzzle pieces. This suggested that they were once part of a larger landmass.
* Fossil Distribution: Fossils of the same species were found on continents now separated by vast oceans. This further supported the idea that these continents were once connected.
Magnetic Clues:
* Magnetic Stripes: The ocean floor shows alternating bands of normal and reversed magnetic polarity. This is because Earth's magnetic field flips over time, and the newly formed crust at the ridges records this magnetic field.
* Polar Wandering: The magnetic poles seem to have moved over time, but this is actually the continents moving relative to the magnetic poles.
Together, these pieces of evidence provided strong support for the theory of plate tectonics, which revolutionized our understanding of Earth's geology and history.