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Plate tectonics is the unifying theory of Earth science. It explains the distribution of earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, mountain chains and ocean basins, and it provides the essential foundation for understanding tectonic hazards at A-Level. The theory evolved through contributions from numerous scientists over more than a century, and understanding this intellectual history is an important part of the AQA specification.
Key Definition: Continental drift is the hypothesis, proposed by Alfred Wegener in 1912, that the continents were once joined together in a single supercontinent and have since moved apart to their present positions.
Wegener, a German meteorologist and polar researcher, published Die Entstehung der Kontinente und Ozeane (The Origin of Continents and Oceans) in 1915. His evidence included:
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