continental drift
continental drift The theory that the earth's continents once formed a single mass and have since moved relative to each other. It was first postulated by A. Snider in 1858 and greatly developed by Alfred Wegener (1880–1930) in 1912. He used evidence, such as the fit of South America into Africa and the distribution of rock types, flora, fauna, and geological structures, to suggest that the present distribution of the continents results from the breaking up of one or two greater land masses. The original land mass was named
Pangaea and it was suggested that this broke up into the northerly
Laurasia and the southerly
Gondwanaland (see illustration). The theory was not accepted for about 50 years by the majority of geologists but during the early 1960s, the seafloor-spreading hypothesis of Harry Hess (1906–69) and the subsequent development of
plate tectonics produced a mechanism to explain the drift of the continents.
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A reader's inquiry: regarding impact of continental drift on present longitude.(Letters to the Editor)(Letter to the Editor)
Magazine article from: Point of Beginning; 1/1/2004; 700+ words
; ...changes. I have heard about continental drift [and] recently learned...land mass of Great Britain drifts, does the zero meridian of longitude drift with it? In other words...surveyors compensate for continental drift? A current "catalog...
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 "The Record (Bergen County, NJ)")
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CONTINENTAL DRIFT
Newspaper article from: The Record (Bergen County, NJ); 8/17/1993; ; 700+ words
; ...County, NJ) 08-17-1993 CONTINENTAL DRIFT -- AIRLINE TO CUT 2,500 JOBS...bankruptcy apparently has not ended Continental Airlines' financial woes. The...some unprofitable flights. "Continental's showing real business judgment...
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Getting the drift on continental shifts. (Brief Article)
Magazine article from: Science News; 2/12/1994; 700+ words
; ...1912 to propose the theory of continental drift, which holds that the landmasses...with formulating the idea of continental drift. While Wegener was one...potential originators of the continental drift theory. Although people...
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CONTINENTAL DRIFT; Will the sideways sport become the next import drag racing or the new F1?(competitions of drifting)
Magazine article from: AutoWeek; 11/5/2007; ; 700+ words
; ...since the first big U.S. drift competition-so it's time...the United Kingdom and across continental Europe- even Poland (go...the United States, Formula Drift is the biggest and best organized...fare well even in D1. Formula Drift just concluded a seven-event...
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Texas A&M prof finds alternate theory to continental drift
News Wire article from: University Wire; 1/24/2000; ; 579 words
; ...put a new spin on the theory of continental drift -- or at least a new roll...redistribution of weight caused by continental drift, the motion of the earth...have collected indicates that continental drift alone probably cannot account...
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Continental drift.
Magazine article from: The New Leader; 5/6/1985; ; 700+ words
; ...memorable characters. The theme is embodied in the continental "drift" or odyssey of the protagonist, Robert Dubois...from him and cut him to pieces outside the shack. Continental Drift is a riveting novel, written
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Continental Drift: Australia's search for a regional identity.(Book Review)
Newspaper article from: New Zealand International Review; 7/1/2004; ; 700+ words
; CONTINENTAL DRIFT: Australia's search for a regional identity Author: Rawdon Dalrymple...engagement with its Asian neighbours. 'Few peoples,' Dalrymple says in Continental Drift, 'have had so much difficulty in defining themselves in regional...
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Mars apparently had continental drift Molten rock, movement long past, but some magnetism remained
Newspaper article from: The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel; 4/30/1999; ; 594 words
; ...resemble the magnetic signature of crustal spreading and continental drift on the Earth, researchers report in a study to be...millions of years. Scientists previously believed that continental drift occurred only on Earth because studies had shown...
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Regionalism and Governance in the Americas: Continental Drift
Magazine article from: Latin American Politics and Society; 12/1/2007; ; 700+ words
; ...Regionalism and Governance in the Americas: Continental Drift. London: Palgrave Macmillan, 2005. Tables, notes...regional governance. The editors use the metaphor of "continental drift" to highlight both the slow pace of movement toward...
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Continental drift. (the pros and cons of Europe's newly-established open market are exemplified by Rover Group Ltd. and Ford Motor Co.'s plans to transfer their research and development centers to Bulgaria and Germany, respectively) (Editorial)
Magazine article from: The Engineer; 12/5/1991; 700+ words
; Continental drift The opportunities and the threats of Europe are well illustrated by Rover's plans for Bulgaria...that the UK is where the engineering should be located. Without Dunton, Ford's focus will drift irrevocably eastwards.
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Continental Drift Theory
Book article from: World of Earth Science
Continental drift theory Continental drift...used, the term continental drift is actually rooted in antiquated...geologists explain the movement or drift of the continents within the...original theory of continental drift made the improbable assertion...crust much ...
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Continental drift
Book article from: The Oxford Companion to the Earth
Continental drift Continental drift describes the process whereby continents move laterally...now compelling nature of much of the geological evidence for continental drift, the most unequivocal proof of the movement of continents now...
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Continental Drift
Encyclopedia entry from: The Gale Encyclopedia of Science
Continental Drift History of Wegener’...explanations of continental drift were rooted in antiquated...Explanations of continental drift that persisted well into...crust much as ice floats and drifts through water. Eventually...
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continental drift
Book article from: The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition
continental drift geological theory that the relative...1908, the first detailed theory of continental drift was put forth by German meteorologist...climatology, and the alignment of the continental shelf rather than the coastline, he...
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palaeomagnetism and continental drift
Book article from: The Oxford Companion to the Earth
palaeomagnetism and continental drift The development of a very sensitive...North America to test hypotheses of continental drift and true magnetic polar wandering...database supported the idea of continental drift well before an actual mechanism...
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