Dancing Continents
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Imagine a group of young geologists getting together one night at a house and one comes up with the idea of conducting a séance in order to talk with one of the greatest geologists of all times, Alfred Wegner. The lights go dim, then darkness and wham you are in touch with Alfred Wegner, the father of the theory of Continental Drift.
In 1910, a young German scientist named Alfred Wegener became curious about the relationship of the continents. He formed a hypothesis that the Earth's continents had moved. In fact his hypothesis stated that all the continents had once been joined together in a single landmass and have since drifted apart. Wegener's idea that the continents slowly moved over Earth's surface became known as "continental drift," hence "Dancing Continents." Wegener went on to publish all his evidence for continental drift in a book called The Origin of Continents and Oceans, first published in 1915. Wegener did more than provide a theory to answer the riddle of continental drift. He attempted to explain how drift took place. He even offered a new explanation for how mountains form. Wegener thought that when drifting continents collide, their edges crumple and fold. The folding continents slowly push up huge chunks of rock to form great mountains.
Unfortunately, Wegener could not provide a satisfactory explanation for the forece that pushes or pulls the continents. Because Wegener could not identify the cause of the continental drift, most geologists rejected his idea. In addition, for geologists to accept Wegner's idea, they would need new explanations of what caused continents and mountains to form. Although scientists rejected his theory, Wegener continued to collect evidence on continental drift and to update his book. He died in 1930 on an expedition to explore Greenland's continental glacier. For nearly a half a century, from the 1920's to the 1960's, most scientists paid little attention to the idea of continental drift. Then new evidence about Earth's structure led scientists to reconsider Wegener's bold theory.
You are a graduate student in the Geology Department of your College. In fact it is your college that Hess (Sea Floor Spreading) and Wilson (Plate Tectonics), his graduate student, both graduated from and formed their subsequent theories which eventually helped to prove the Theory of Continental Drift. In honor of Wegener's upcoming 95th anniversary of his proposed theory on Continental Drift and since you were able to contact him through the séance, you are charged with the task of letting him know that his theory was correct and that he was on the right path to proving it, i.e., providing the mechanism or process for continental drift when he died. When you are finished you will be responsible for appearing in front of your advisory panel at college and present your story with regards to your time spent with Wegener.
In order to get Wegener to believe you and understand what has happened since his death, you will need to facilitate the following:
1. You will need to explain who Hess is and how his geological theory of Sea Floor Spreading ended up proving Wegener's Theory of Continent Drift both directly and indirectly.
2. You will need to explain who Wilson is and how his geological theory of Plate Tectonics ended up proving both Hess's Theory of Sea Floor Spreading and Wegener's Theory of Continent Drift both directly and indirectly.
3. You will be responsible for setting up a dinner meeting with Wegener, Hess, Wilson and yourself in order to allow everyone to meet face to face and exchange ideas based upon past and present scientific data relative to Continental Drift, Sea Floor Spreading, and Plate Tectonics.
The Use the following links to help you convince Wegener that he was indeed correct in his thinking with regards to the idea of continental movement, i.e., "Continental Drift"...Dancing Continents.
Continental Drift & Plate Tectonics
It is now time to collect feedback in an open forum amongst your peers with regards to your journey as well as giving Wegener's his due in relation to his theory being proven correct after his death.
Now, having met Wegener and also introducing him to the earth scientists, Hess and Wilson, who subsequently proved his theory of Continental Drift, you are armed with the knowledge that Wegener felt in his heart, i.e., that his Theory of Continental Drift was true. This, in turn, should make you a better earth scientist.
You can create a video, using your Sony Digital Camcorder, of your time with Wegener during the séance, interviews, dinner meeting, and lecture/presentation in the collegial/professional setting.
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