Continental Drift: Wegener's Theory

The video discusses the evolution of the theory of continental drift, initially proposed in 1912, which suggested that continents were once part of a supercontinent called Pangea. This theory was initially dismissed due to a lack of mechanism. In 1965, the theory of plate tectonics provided a mechanism, explaining that continents move on tectonic plates driven by convection currents in the Earth's mantle. Evidence for this includes magnetic patterns in rocks on either side of mid-ocean ridges, which show reversals in Earth's magnetic field. Additional evidence comes from the distribution of volcanoes and earthquakes along plate boundaries and the formation of mountain ranges where plates collide.

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