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December 10, 2019

Alfred Wegener, Beyond the Drift Dispute #geology #platetectonics

Alfred Wegener

Alfred Wegener (left) and Rasmus Villumsen at station Eismitte in the last photo taken of them before their deaths. ARCHIVE OF ALFRED WEGENER INSTITUTE/PUBLIC DOMAIN

The podcast "The Stuff You Missed In History Class" has a great episode about Alfred Wegener.  Wegener, who came up with a theory similar to plate tectonics back in the years before World War I, had a very interesting career.  Here are just a few highlights.  Check it out!

Alfred Wegener had a HUGE career outside of his ideas around what we now understand as plate tectonics, which had both detractors and supporters. He did important and respected work that touched on multiple disciplines.

Tracy's Research:

  • "Alfred Wegener Introduces the Concept of Continental Drift." Science and Its Times, edited by Neil Schlager and Josh Lauer, vol. 6, Gale, 2001. Gale In Context: Science, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/CV2643450602/GPS?u=mlin_n_melpub&sid=GPS&xid=0ab41523. Accessed 11 Nov. 2019.
  • "Alfred Wegener." Scientists: Their Lives and Works, UXL, 2006. Gale In Context: Science, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/K2641500212/GPS?u=mlin_n_melpub&sid=GPS&xid=c55b650e. Accessed 11 Nov. 2019.
  • "Wegener, Alfred Lothar (1880-1930)." Encyclopedia of World Biography, Gale, 1998. Gale General OneFile, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A148417477/GPS?u=mlin_n_melpub&sid=GPS&xid=3dcfbe55. Accessed 11 Nov. 2019.
  • Antonescu, Bogdan, et al. "100 YEARS LATER: Reflecting on Alfred Wegener's Contributions to Tornado Research in Europe: Alfred Wegener not only proposed the theory of continental drift but was also a pioneer of modern tornado research in Europe." Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, Apr. 2019, p. 567+. Gale In Context: Science, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A588990531/GPS?u=mlin_n_melpub&sid=GPS&xid=c0122c74. Accessed 11 Nov. 2019.
  • Aronsohn, Marie DeNoia. “Walter Pitman and the Smoking Gun of Plate Tectonics.” Lamont Geological Observatory. 4/19/2016. https://www.ldeo.columbia.edu/news-events/walter-pitman-smoking-gun-plate-tectonics
  • Earle, Steven. “Physical Geology – 2nd Edition.” https://opentextbc.ca/physicalgeology2ed/
  • Feffer, Loren Butler, et al. "Historic Dispute : Are Earth's continents stationary throughout geologic time." Science in Dispute, vol. 1, Gale, 2002, pp. 57-65. Gale In Context: Global Issues, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/CX3411400016/GPS?u=mlin_n_melpub&sid=GPS&xid=8a3d947b. Accessed 11 Nov. 2019.
  • Greene, Mott T. "Wegener, Alfred Lothar." Complete Dictionary of Scientific Biography, vol. 25, Charles Scribner's Sons, 2008, pp. 245-248. Gale In Context: U.S. History, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/CX2830906196/GPS?u=mlin_n_melpub&sid=GPS&xid=1279735e. Accessed 11 Nov. 2019.
  • Greene, Mott T. “Alfred Wegener and the Origin of Lunar Craters.” Earth Sciences History, Vol. 17, No. 2. 1998. Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/24138636
  • Greene, Mott T. “Alfred Wegener.” Social Research, Vol. 51, No. 3, Modern Masters of Science. Autumn 1984. https://www.jstor.org/stable/40970960
  • Hoffman, Paul. “The Tooth of Time: Alfred Wegener.” Geoscience Canada. Vol. 39. 2012.
  • Hughes, Patrick. “Alfred Wegener, The meteorologist who started a revolution.” Weatherwise, 00431672, Apr/May94 . Via NASA Earth Observatory. 2/8/2001. https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/features/Wegener/wegener.php
  • Isacks, Bryan et al. “Seismology and the New Global Tectonics.” Journal of Geophysical Research. Vol. 73, No. 18. 1968. http://www.mantleplumes.org/WebDocuments/Isacks1968.pdf
  • Kehrt, Christian. “The Wegener Diaries: Scientific Expeditions into the Eternal Ice.” Environment & Society Portal. Virtual Exhibitions 2013, no. 2. http://www.environmentandsociety.org/exhibitions/wegener-diaries/overview
  • Lamplugh, G. W., et al. “Wegener's Hypothesis of Continental Drift: Discussion.” The Geographical Journal, vol. 61, no. 3, 1923, pp. 188–194. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/1781671.
  • Stäblein, G. “Alfred Wegener, from Research in Greenland to Plate Tectonics.” GeoJournal, Vol. 7, No. 4, Polar Research (1983). Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/41143144
  • The Geological Society. “Plate Tectonics.” https://www.geolsoc.org.uk/Plate-Tectonics/Chap1-Pioneers-of-Plate-Tectonics/Alfred-Wegener
  • USGS. “Historical Perspective.” https://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/dynamic/historical.html

Posted on December 10, 2019 |

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