Alfred Wegener

Alfred Wegener was a German climatologist, geologist, geophysicist, meteorologist, and polar researcher who is best known for his theory of continental drift. He proposed that the continents were once joined together in a single landmass called Pangaea, and that they have drifted apart over millions of years due to the forces of Earth's rotation and gravity. He supported his hypothesis with various evidence, such as the fit of the coastlines, the distribution of fossils and rocks, and the climatic zones of the past. His theory was initially rejected by most geologists, who favored the idea of fixed continents and land bridges. However, in the 1950s and 1960s, new discoveries such as paleomagnetism, seafloor spreading, and plate tectonics confirmed Wegener's idea and revolutionized the field of geology. Wegener was also a pioneer of polar research and meteorology. He participated in several expeditions to Greenland, where he studied the polar air circulation and the movement of glaciers. He also wrote a textbook on thermodynamics of the atmosphere, which became a standard reference in Germany. He died in Greenland during his fourth expedition, while trying to establish a weather station. His body was buried under a pyramid-shaped mausoleum made of ice and snow, which has since been covered by the ice sheet. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential scientists of the 20th century.