Continental drift is the hypothesis that the continents have moved across the Earth’s surface over geological time. Proposed by Alfred Wegener in 1912, this idea laid the groundwork for the modern theory of plate tectonics. Continental drift is critical in understanding the historical distribution of continents, the formation of mountain ranges, and the development of ocean basins.
Reference: Wegener, A. (1966). The Origin of Continents and Oceans. Dover Publications.