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Alfred Wegener's fully developed theory of continental drift attempted to point out evidences that the continents were once joined into a single continent he called Pangea. Wegener's theory hypothesized that the continents were able to push through the rock of the seafloor to their present positions. As evidence, he noted, as had others before him, of the geographic correlation in coastline perimeters of South America and Africa. This was the feature that led Wegener to investigate for other evidences. His investigations revealed that mountain ranges in South America and Africa, and strata and composition of coal fields in Europe and North America matched or lined up. Additionally, matching reptilian fossils were found on either side of the ocean, indicating that the continents were once joined together. Although he was unable to find a mechanism for his proposed continental drift theory, he also observed that the more shallow an ocean, the younger its geologic age. It wasn't until the 1950's and 1960's, with the discovery of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, and other sea floor mapping discoveries that Wegener's hypothesis started to become more accepted. The newer science of plate tectonics owes much to Wegener's scientific groundwork.

Alfred Wegener was the scientist who championed the Continental Drift Theory through the first few decades of the twentieth century. Simply put, his hypothesis proposed that the continents had once been joined, and over time had drifted apart. The jigsaw fit that the continents make with each other can be seen by looking at any world map.

Since his ideas challenged scientists in geology, geophysics, zoogeography and paleontology, it demonstrates the reactions of different communities of scientists. The reactions by the leading authorities in the different disciplines was so strong and so negative that serious discussion of the concept stopped.

Why did Alfred Wegener's work produce such a reaction? He was much more diplomatic in presenting his theory than Galileo. Although he believed himself to be right and that some of his arguments were compelling, he knew he would need more support to convince others. His immediate goal was to have the concept openly discussed. Wegener did not even present Continental Drift as a proven theory. These modest goals did not spare him. The fact that his work crossed disciplines exposed him to the territoriality of scientific disciplines. The authorities in the various disciplines attacked him as an interloper that did not fully grasp their own subject. More importantly however, was that even the possibility of Continental Drift was a huge threat to the established authorities in each of the disciplines.