Alfred Wegener

A German scientist who proposed the groundbreaking theory of continental drift, reshaping geological understanding.

Alfred Wegener (1880–1930), a meteorologist and geophysicist, revolutionized earth sciences with his continental drift hypothesis. In his 1915 book 《Die Entstehung der Kontinente und Ozeane》 (The Origin of Continents and Oceans), he argued that continents once formed a supercontinent, Pangaea, which gradually drifted apart.

Wegener’s evidence included fossil matches across continents, rock layer correlations, and paleoclimatic data. Despite ridicule from contemporaries, his ideas laid the foundation for plate tectonics theory, confirmed posthumously in the 1960s. His work is featured in documentaries like 《Earth: The Power of the Planet》 (2007).

Beyond geology, Wegener pioneered polar research, joining four Greenland expeditions. Tragically, he died during his final expedition in 1930. Today, the Alfred Wegener Institute honors his contributions to climate science. His story underscores the importance of perseverance in scientific innovation.