Alfred Wegener
Pioneering geophysicist known for proposing the theory of continental drift.
Chronology: 1880-11-01 – 1930
Origins & Early Life
Alfred Lothar Wegener (; German: [ˈʔalfʁeːt ˈveːɡənɐ]; 1 November 1880 – November 1930) was a German climatologist, geologist, geophysicist, meteorologist, and polar researcher. During his lifetime he was primarily known for his achievements in meteorology and as a pioneer of polar research, but today he is most remembered as the originator of the continental drift hypothesis by suggesting in 1912 that the continents are slowly drifting around the Earth (German: Kontinentalverschiebung). His hypothesis was not accepted by mainstream geology until the 1960s, when numerous discoveries such as palaeomagnetism provided strong support for continental drift, and thereby a substantial basis for today's model of plate tectonics. Wegener was involved in several expeditions to Greenland to study polar air circulation before the existence of the jet stream was accepted.
Pivotal Works & Achievements
Expedition participants made many meteorological observations and were the first to overwinter on the inland Greenland ice sheet and the first to bore ice cores on a moving Arctic glacier. == Biography == === Early life and education === Alfred Wegener was born in Berlin on 1 November 1880, the youngest of five children, to Richard...
Enduring Legacy & Impact
The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.
Source: Wikipedia