Here’s an approximation of how the landmass of the Earth was reshaped over the years as tectonic plates drifted over time:

Over time, Wegener compiled additional evidence to support his theory. He noticed striking similarity between rock formations on what are now different continents that he felt had been adjacent eons ago. The most compelling argument in his favor, however, were fossilized remains of ancient reptiles and plants found buried beneath the Earth’s surface, that also matched up with those found on other continents. Four examples of this are shown in the diagram at right. Wegener was disappointed at the resistance to his ideas. If evidence supported continental drift, then “why should we hesitate to toss the old views overboard?” he asked a colleague. “Why should this idea be held back for ten or even thirty years?” Wegener continued to speak at seminars, discuss his theory and to publish updated volumes of his book — even including essays written by his critics. In 1958, a book rejecting the theory of continental drift was published and included a foreword by Albert Einstein. The 1964 edition of Encyclopaedia Britannica didn’t cover Wegener’s theories. William Berryman Scott, president of the American Philosophical Society, called Wegener’s work “utter, damned rot.” But in the 1960s, new evidence surfaced that proved the Atlantic seafloor was spreading, creating what is now called the Atlantic rift. This led to the discovery of tectonic plates. Suddenly, Wegener’s ideas didn’t just fall into place — they were explained and verified. Sadly, Wegener didn’t live long enough to see his theories recognized by the scientific community. In 1930, he led a weather research expedition to Greenland. On Nov. 1 of that year, he left camp to fetch supplies, and disappeared in minus 60-degree weather. His frozen body was found months later. Today, geolocation satellites have confirmed the movement of tectonic plates. Europe and North America, for example, have been found to be moving apart at about an inch per year.