Is the continental drift real?

Continental drift was a theory that explained how continents shift position on Earth's surface. Set forth in 1912 by Alfred Wegener, a geophysicist and meteorologist, continental drift also explained why look-alike animal and plant fossils, and similar rock formations, are found on different continents. read more

According to Wegener, all the continents formed a single continental mass and mega ocean surrounded the same. The super continent was named PANGAEA, which meant all earth. PANTHALASSA, meaning all water. He argued that, around 200 million years ago, the super continent, Pangaea, began to split. read more

The way some continents fit together like puzzle pieces inspired the theory of continental drift. Map by USGS. Urkontinent. Alfred Wegener’s original name for his proposed, ancient continent was “Urkontinent”—ur meaning “first or original,” and kontinent meaning “continent” in Wegener’s native language, German. read more

Continental drift was a good hypothesis that was rejected by other scientists. A key part of Wegener’s hypothesis was that some unknown force had caused the continents to slide over, or push through, the rocky bottoms of the oceans. read more

Continental drift describes one of the earliest ways geologists thought continents moved over time. Today, the theory of continental drift has been replaced by the science of plate tectonics. The theory of continental drift is most associated with the scientist Alfred Wegener. read more

The theory of continental drift is most associated with the scientist Alfred Wegener. In the early 20th century, Wegener published a paper explaining his theory that the continental landmasses were “drifting” across the Earth, sometimes plowing through oceans and into each other. He called this movement continental drift. read more