10 Facts about Alfred Wegener

Tuesday, December 23rd 2014. | Science

Facts about Alfred Wegener were a meteorologist, polar researcher and geophysicist from Germany. He was born on 1 November 1880 and passed away on November 1930. He was famous with his Kontinentalverschiebung or theory of continental drift that he made in 1912. If you are interested to know more about Wegener, check out the detail facts below:

Facts about Alfred Wegener 1: the theory of continental drift

What is the theory of continental drift? Wegener made a hypothesis that the continents were drifting around earth. Before 1950s, his theory was not accepted by people. It was considered as his controversial theory. But in 1950s, numerous discoveries supported his theory. It is considered as the base for the plate tectonic models.

Facts about Alfred Wegener 2: polar research

Wegener is also called as the pioneer in polar research. He studied the polar air circulation when he made various expeditions in Greenland. Get another researcher in Alfred Russel Wallace facts.

Alfred Wegener Facts

Facts about Alfred Wegener 3: meteorological observations

There were many meteorological observations that can be achieved by the expedition participants. They found out the first boring of ice cores on a moving arctic glacier and the first overwintering on Greenland ice sheet.

Facts about Alfred Wegener 4: the early life

Wegener was born on 1 November 1880 in Berlin. There were five children in the family. He was the young one in this clergyman family.

Alfred Wegener Image

Facts about Alfred Wegener 5: father

Alfred’s father was Richard Wegener. He worked as a teacher of classical languages and a theologian. The family has a vacation home located near Rheinsberg that they bought in 1886.

Facts about Alfred Wegener 6: education

Let’s find out his early education. He went to Köllnisches Gymnasium on Wallstrasse in Berlin. He was the top on his class.

Alfred Wegener Pic

Facts about Alfred Wegener 7: further education

After he graduated, he was interested to learn more about meteorology, physics and astronomy. He became an assistant at Urania astronomical observatory during his study in 1902 till 1903.

Facts about Alfred Wegener 8: Friedrich Wilhelms University

Friedrich Wilhelms University was university in Berlin. Today it is called as Humboldt University. In 1905, Wegener got his doctorate in astronomy. He created the dissertation about astronomy under the guidance of Julius Bauschinger at Friedrich Wilhelms University.