Why was wegeners idea not accepted

It was not until the s that enough evidence was discovered to support the theory fully. This slideshow explains Wegener's theory. Wegener's theory. But that in itself was not enough to support his idea. Another observation favoring continental drift was the presence of evidence for continental glaciation in the Pensylvanian period. Striae left by the scraping of glaciers over the land surface indicated that Africa and South America had been close together at the time of this ancient ice age.

The same scraping patterns can be found along the coasts of South America and South Africa. Wegener's drift hypothesis also provided an alternate explanation for the formation of mountains orogenesis. The theory being discussed during his time was the "Contraction theory" which suggested that the planet was once a molten ball and in the process of cooling the surface cracked and folded up on itself. The big problem with this idea was that all mountain ranges should be approximately the same age, and this was known not to be true.

Wegener's explanation was that as the continents moved, the leading edge of the continent would encounter resistance and thus compress and fold upwards forming mountains near the leading edges of the drifting continents. The contradictions to accepted theories was perhaps the main reason Continental Drift was rejected. Why did most scientists reject Wegener's idea of continental drift?

Earth Science. David Drayer. Mar 12, Explanation: The prevailing theory at the time the theory of Continental Drift was proposed was the geosyncline theory of continental formation, sedimentary layers, and mountain building. Related questions How do I determine the molecular shape of a molecule?

What is the lewis structure for co2? It was a century ago this spring that a little-known German meteorologist named Alfred Wegener proposed that the continents had once been massed together in a single supercontinent and then gradually drifted apart. He was, of course, right. Continental drift and the more recent science of plate tectonics are now the bedrock of modern geology, helping to answer vital questions like where to find precious oil and mineral deposits, and how to keep San Francisco upright.

We like to imagine that knowledge advances fact upon dispassionate fact to reveal precise and irrefutable truths. As often happens when confronted with difficult new ideas, the establishment joined ranks and tore holes in his theories, mocked his evidence and maligned his character.

It might have been the end of a lesser man, but as with the vicious battles over topics ranging from Darwinian evolution to climate change, the conflict ultimately worked to the benefit of scientific truth. Others before him had noticed that the Atlantic coast of Brazil looked as if it might once have been tucked up against West Africa, like a couple spooning in bed.

But no one had made much of it, and Wegener was hardly the logical choice to show what they had been missing.