Often asked: When was alfred wegener born?

How did Alfred Wegener die?

Wegener died in Greenland in November 1930 while returning from an expedition to bring food to a group of researchers camped in the middle of an icecap. Wegener had been 50 years of age and a heavy smoker, and it was believed that he had died of heart failure brought on by overexertion.

When was Alfred Wegener born and died?

Alfred Wegener, in full Alfred Lothar Wegener, (born November 1, 1880, Berlin, Germany—died November 1930, Greenland), German meteorologist and geophysicist who formulated the first complete statement of the continental drift hypothesis.

Why did Wegener’s theory take more than 50 years?

It took more than 50 years for Wegener’s theory to be accepted. One of the reasons was that it was difficult to work out how whole continents could move. It was not until the 1960s that enough evidence was discovered to support the theory fully. This slideshow explains Wegener’s theory.

Who was Alfred Wegener’s wife?

Alfred Wegener was survived by his wife, Else Köppen, whom he had married in 1913, and two daughters: Sophie Käte and Lotte.

What did Wegener actually prove?

Then several discoveries gave evidence of continental drift, and of the actual causes. Wegener was born in Berlin and in 1904 he earned his PhD in Astronomy at the University of Berlin.

Alfred Wegener
Alma mater	University of Berlin
Known for	continental drift
Scientific career
Fields	meteorology geology

Why was Wegener’s theory accepted?

Wegener knew that fossil plants and animals such as mesosaurs, a freshwater reptile found only South America and Africa during the Permian period, could be found on many continents. Despite his incredible evidence for continental drift, Wegener never lived to see his theory gain wider acceptance.

Is the idea of Wegener cited above is true?

Answer. Answer: 1. Yes, cause it could be true, because it was also suggested in Orbis Terrarum that America was originally connected to Europe and Africa and that the projecting parts of the 2 continents would fit the recesses of America.

How long ago did Pangaea exist?

From about 280-230 million years ago (Late Paleozoic Era until the Late Triassic), the continent we now know as North America was continuous with Africa, South America, and Europe. They all existed as a single continent called Pangea.

When did Pangea break up?

The supercontinent began to break apart about 200 million years ago, during the Early Jurassic Epoch (201 million to 174 million years ago), eventually forming the modern continents and the Atlantic and Indian oceans.

Why was Pangea not accepted?

Despite having this geological and paleontological evidence, Wegener’s theory of continental drift was not accepted by the scientific community, because his explanation of the driving forces behind continental movement (which he said stemmed from the pulling force that created Earth’s equatorial bulge or the

What was Wegener’s theory?

The theory of continental drift is most associated with the scientist Alfred Wegener. He called this movement continental drift. Pangaea. Wegener was convinced that all of Earth’s continents were once part of an enormous, single landmass called Pangaea.

Who helped prove Alfred Wegener’s theory?

Almost 50 years later Harry Hess confirmed Wegener’s ideas by using the evidence of seafloor spreading to explain what moved continents.

What did Harry Hammond Hess realize in the 1950s?

Hess discovered that the oceans were shallower in the middle and identified the presence of Mid Ocean Ridges, raised above the surrounding generally flat sea floor (abyssal plain) by as much as 1.5 km. This created new seafloor which then spread away from the ridge in both directions.