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Alfred Wegener - Biography

Wegener, full name Löwis Maria Wegener, was a prominent German geologist and meteorologist whose contribution to Earth science remains important until now. His theory of continental drift changed our understanding of the Earth's crust and the events taking place on the planet. Let's delve into Wegener's biography and his contributions to geology and meteorology.

Alfred was born on November 1, 1880 in the city of Berlin, Germany. He showed interest in the sciences from an early age and showed himself to be a bright student. After leaving school, he entered the University of Greifswald, where he began to study astronomy, physics and meteorology.

After completing the university, he began his career as a meteorologist, working in the German Meteorological Service. His research on the atmosphere and climate has earned him recognition and the opportunity to travel and conduct experiments in various parts of the world.

Alfred's most famous and significant scientific achievement was his theory of continental drift, presented in 1912 in the book "The Origin of Continents and Oceans" ("Die Entstehung der Kontinente und Ozeane"). In this theory, he argued that continents move with time and that they were once combined into one huge supercontinent, which he called Pangea.

Continental drift theory was initially met with strong resistance from the scientific community. Wegener faced criticism and discontent from individual geologists, but he continued to gather evidence in favor of his theory.

Wegener did not live to see his theory recognized by the scientific community. Nevertheless, in the following decades, research in geology and modern science confirmed the correctness of his theory, and it became part of the modern understanding of terrestrial processes.