The expanding Earth, or growing Earth, hypothesis attempted to explain the position and relative movement of the continents by proposing that the volume of the Earth itself has increased over geological time. Once plate tectonics was established in the twentieth century as the correct explanation for continental movement, the expanding Earth idea was abandoned by mainstream science and is now regarded as a pseudoscience.
Facts
Origin YearRoberto Mantovani published the earliest documented Earth-expansion hypothesis in 1889 and 1909; later independent forms followed from Hilgenberg (1933) and Carey (from the 1950s), per the same source. Connections
In Discipline
Source Expanding Earth (Wikipedia)
Sources
1. Expanding Earth (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationMass addition section, paragraph on Mantovani's 1889 and 1909 publications
In 1889 and 1909 Roberto Mantovani published a hypothesis of Earth expansion and continental drift.
In Discipline: Geology, Lead paragraph
The expanding Earth or growing Earth was a hypothesis attempting to explain the position and relative movement of continents by increase in the volume of Earth.
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