Climate clues such as glacial deposits and ancient sea level changes can help support the theory of continental drift by showing how certain landmasses were once connected and located in different positions on Earth. By looking at these climate indicators, scientists can reconstruct past climates and the movement of continents over millions of years. This evidence helps explain how continents have shifted and drifted to their current positions.
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Fossil evidence of plants and animals that were once distributed across continents and matching geological formations such as mountain ranges or rock layers on different continents provide clues supporting the continental drift hypothesis. Additionally, evidence of past climates, such as ancient glacial deposits in regions that are now far from the poles, further support the idea of continental drift.
Wegener used evidence such as glacial deposits, coal beds in cold regions, and the distribution of plant and animal fossils to support his hypothesis of continental drift. By comparing these climate clues across continents, Wegener showed that they lined up when the continents were positioned together, supporting the idea that they were once connected.
Evidence for continental drift includes the fit of the continents like a puzzle, similarities in rock formations and fossils across continents, and matching mountain ranges and geologic structures on different landmasses. Additionally, the distribution of certain species and climate indicators supports the theory of continental drift. These pieces of evidence suggest that the continents were once connected and have since moved apart over millions of years.
The main clues used to prove continental drift were the fit of the continents' coastlines, similarities in rock formations and fossils across continents, matching mountain ranges and geological structures, and paleoclimate evidence such as glacial deposits in tropical regions. These clues collectively supported the theory proposed by Alfred Wegener in the early 20th century.
Clues that suggest the continents were once Pangaea include the matching shapes of coastlines on opposite sides of the Atlantic Ocean (such as West Africa and South America), similar fossil and rock formations found on different continents, and remnants of ancient mountain ranges that span multiple continents. These clues provide evidence for the theory of continental drift proposed by Alfred Wegener in the early 20th century.