History of Oceanography

     Many aspects of the History of Oceanography have changed drastically over the years. Continental drift and ocean floor spreading is a main topic that has continued to change over time. Long ago scientists believed that the earth's surface hadn't changed much since the planet formed 4.6 billion years ago. They believed that the oceans and continents were always where they are now. But almost 100 years ago, a scientist named Alfred Wegener took notice of some interesting findings. Similar plant and animal fossils were discovered in both South America and Africa. There were also findings on other continents separated by oceans. On distant continents, similar rock formations were found. This suggested that the formations were once whole and later divided. Along with some other evidence, this led Wegener to believe that the continents were once connected but had separated and drifted apart. From believing that the continents had not changed since the beginning of time, to continents shifting more and more every year, history of oceanography has drastically changed.