Before Wegener
The theory of plate tectonics and continental drift was proposed at the beginning of the last century by a German scientist, Alfred Wegener. Before Wegener developed his theory, it was thought that mountains formed because the Earth was cooling down, and in doing so contracted. This was believed to form wrinkles, or mountains, in the Earth’s crust. If the idea was correct, however, mountains would be spread evenly over the Earth's surface. We know this is not the case.
Wegener’s theory
Alfred Wegener (1880 - 1930)
Wegener suggested that mountains were formed when the edge of a drifting continent collided with another, causing it to crumple and fold. For example, the Himalayas were formed when India came into contact with Asia. It took more than 50 years for Wegener’s theory to be accepted. One of the reasons was that it was difficult to work out how whole continents could move: it was not until the 1960s that enough evidence was discovered to support the theory fully.
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