Alfred Wegener

Alfred Wegener

Alfred Wegener was a curious scientist who loved studying Earth and the weather. He was born in Berlin on 1 November 1880 and grew up near Rheinsberg. Wegener studied physics, meteorology, and astronomy. He worked at an observatory and helped make special balloons to learn more about the sky.

Wegener is best known for an idea he shared in 1912 called continental drift. He noticed that the continents looked like puzzle pieces that could fit together. He thought that long ago, all the continents were joined in one big landmass, and then they slowly moved apart. Many scientists did not agree with him at first, but later discoveries showed that he was right.

Wegener loved to travel and went on many trips to Greenland. There, he studied ice, weather, and how the polar air moves. He helped set up the first weather station and was the first to spend winter on the icy land of Greenland. Wegener passed away in November 1930 while on one of his trips to Greenland.

Thanks to Wegener’s smart ideas, scientists today understand more about how Earth’s continents move. His work helped create the modern theory of plate tectonics. Even though he is no longer alive, Wegener is remembered for his important discoveries about our planet.