The Development of Plate Tectonics

A paradigm shift in geology occurred with the development of plate tectonics, a theory which allows us to understand so much regarding what we see and experience on Earth's surface. How did this come to be? Who is Alfred Wegener? Who is Harold Hess? Who is J. Tuzo Wilson, and what did these people contribute to the theory? What is magnetic striping? What are mantle plumes? There is so much to talk about, and I promise, it's freaking fascinating. Take a look.
Script by Jared Matteucci and Bryne Hadnott
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[@glennpearson9348]

Absolutely fascinating. As much as I've studied the physics of plate tectonics, I had no idea that the hypotheses for this science were so recent. It certainly does seem that we have a whole lot more to learn about plate tectonics, doesn't it? Thank you, Professor Dave, for continuing to curate and explain such wonderful material. Man, I love science!

[@hankkingsley9183]

Very much appreciate the clear, concise, literate, professionally narrated and edited content. All tubers should aspire to this level

[@tonydagostino6158]

Great graphics! Wegener and others saw the fit between Africa and South America like two puzzle pieces and postulated Continental Drift, not plate tectonics. The problem early proponents had was there was no known mechanism capable of moving continents. The dominant tectonic theory of the era was vertical tectonics that had the continents bobbing up and down like corks on a molten basaltic mantle

[@Bunyipp66]

Great video covering most of the basics I covered in my first as an undergraduate geology student back in the 1980's - in 10 minutes! There is so much more depth of evidence to plate tectonics (paleontological, radiometric, metamorphic, topographic etc) that makes it such a fascinating subject!

[@ziploc2000]

I didn't do geology in college (more fool me), but Bill Bryson covered this in his book A Short History of Nearly Everything. It's fascinating how even established scientists reject new theories until the evidence is indisputable. Of course it all rights itself in the end and our scientific understanding is increased, but often too late for the person who had the original idea.

[@rickkwitkoski1976]

I read a book in high school in 1972. It was an account of the IGY - International Geophysical Year that had taken place in the late 1950's That was the first time that I had encountered sea floor spreading and tectonic plates, specifically the magnetic stripes. Studying physical geography and geology in my first post sec years gave me a good understanding of these ideas. More evidence has been determined in the ensuring decades. In the past 50 years we have learned so much.

[@MaryAnnNytowl]

Watching this on the same day that Anton Petrov does a video on the newest study on what may have actually given us those plates, when none of the others in the solar system have or had anything like them. It's fascinating, and I'd suggest anyone that's interested in this video to go check it out. The date for it is 17 Aug, 2022, since who knows when you may be reading this.

[@davelister2961]

Steve Gould often talked about the vitriol he saw directed against plate tectonic theorists when he was a young student. It was a shame, but, as evidence accrued, even the most staunch static earthers within academia relented. Just goes to show the beautiful self-correcting mechanism that is Science and the Scientific Method. #scienceworks

[@Riogrande1964]

A concise and illuminating overview of the history of plate tectonics - highly recommended

[@maryfoxworthy6110]

This is just what I've been looking for. A basic explanation of why the plates move. Thank you.

[@derpy_blue]

never knew geology could be so fascinating! thank you professor Dave

[@dangeonsanddrugons3921]

Didn’t enjoy my astronomy class nearly as much as your rational mind and well versed breakdowns. I’m a new sub after seeing your public service in having it out with a flat earther. But what will keep me learning here is your clear passion and the unique opportunities this level of care in world building can offer to a fantasy world of Dungeons and Dragons. I’m excited to be adding various layers to my made up planets mantle and core along with much more variation in deep sea trenches and the amount of detail I’ll attribute to the world going through changes long before the creatures that walk and talk have interacted with it. Lastly I plan to add a Professor Dave encounter themed on saving a true marvel of thinking being kidnapped by doomsday nay sayers ironically during my DnD worlds active apocalypse. You’re a gem and a teacher. I wish you all the best in the future and whatever endeavors you take on.

[@nsg_kuunda4786]

You probably couldn't have made this any longer while still keeping in mind our collective decreasing attention spans. This is the perfect blend of dense, relevant information in a short enough package that I'll bother to casually watch it.

[@jemerson39]

Thank you for putting out such consistently great content! You've earned a subscriber

[@kiwiruna9077]

Great video and it was good to see that we(NZ) weren't left off the maps, as been happening recently.

[@alanthompson8515]

Well done, Dave. Brilliant 10 minute's worth, though I wish you'd found time to insert a reference to Arthur Holmes.

[@dumby2175]

This is the first vid I could find about this, thank you

[@Deliriousintentionsprojects]

This is what I love about your channel. You don't just explain plate tectonics, but the development of the science as well.

[@jessicamorgan3073]

Thanks for another fascinating video

[@sciencenerd7639]

wow, this is a great topic, thanks so much

[@95TurboSol]

I didn't know about the magnetic striping on the ocean floor, very cool!

[@mtbee9641]

I'm still curious how they have determined that the hotspots are 'stationary' and not moving in some way relative to the plate motion? In the Hawaiian island chain for example could not the hot spot be moving as well the plate, either in the opposite direction of the chain or at a slower rate in the same direction. Is there a fixed point of reference somewhere?

[@derekrobillard7320]

Diggin the geology vids!

[@2ahdcat]

But...but... Erf am flat. (That super-genius DITRH says so) LOL 😉

[@90Brycey]

Woooo, geology content!

[@zosephzostar6857]

Science Jesus teaches about tectonic plates 😳

[@lightworker4512]

Dave is real, Jesus is a myth

[@ishaanroy2436]

@@lightworker4512 🤣😂

[@zosephzostar6857]

He will save us all

[@adilsongoliveira]

Jesus is a common given name in Latin America. Many years ago I worked for a small company and the person who paid us was called Jesus. Every Friday, when he arrived at the work site, we started chanting "Jesus is here, he is among us! We're saved!" He was a very religious guy and not amused by our greetings😁

[@zosephzostar6857]

@@adilsongoliveira that's a very interesting fact 🤣

[@NyznTvfk]

@08:20 where is the black sea in that map ?

[@christopherjohns1566]

I agree with the gastro pub reference. The Caribbean and Cocos Plates sound delicious. Do they come with Plantains???

[@davidhaines2894]

Great video, but a pity that there wasn't time to mention Marie Tharp, whose work was so critical in discovering the mechanics of plate tectonics. Those interested in the human story of the development of Plate Tectonic theory would do well to to consider her role. She was quite a character, and stuck to her guns when others were calling her a silly girl! en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marie_Tharp

[@richardcolton1009]

and David Weiss would just say 'that' ridiculous'...

[@claudelorrain-bouchard6941]

7:20 As a canadian, I support that hockey stick metaphor

[@satori9928]

Impressing how in the same years of quantum mechanics and general&special relativity, plate tectonics was so underweighted

[@rheiagreenland4714]

Well, to be fair, it's surprisingly difficult to study the inner workings of the planet, compared to throwing particles at each other in accelerators and seeing what happens. It seems that data about the sky above our heads is generally more available and comes before the data for the ground beneath our feet.

[@kkhendricks73]

I just came across another one of your videos and absolutely fell in love with you!!! You are funny AF! Why you destroy that flat earth Dave like that???? Lmaoooo

[@Ancipital_]

Maybe some day you can provide animations, because my ability to visualize this just sucks. Thanks Dave. Cheers

[@ProfessorDaveExplains]

This is the best I can do working alone, they don't get enough views to justify spending lots of time/money on fancy animations.

[@denizjheerotaylor5409]

CRAZY ROCKS!!

[@SweatierAcorn]

Ah, new Dave video

[@WdymAzul131isntavalible]

Yeah

[@ericvulgate]

Exciting.

[@jasonv2203]

Perhaps it is possible to have magnetic hotspots on Earth, which is why some areas like the Bermuda Triangle suddenly experience magnetic abnormalities which can cause animals dependent on the Earth’s magnetic field to suddenly become dis-oriented. Perhaps the seamounts known as the hotspot track may explain why we experience magnetic anomalies within the Bermuda Triangle. Is there any evidence of this?

[@karhukivi]

Areas of magnetic anomalies are marked on nautical charts and show the possible deviation of a compass from what would normally be expected. They are caused by volcanic rocks in the seabed but are fairly static, i.e. they do not suddenly appear, as some non-scientific authors of books would have us believe.

[@bethanygee6939]

J. Tuzo Wilson looking like an age-progressed picture of a young Mr Rogers...

[@Equinox0709]

I learned something.

[@nugget...]

❤️

[@m3mory_leak344]

LETS GOOOOOOOOOOOO

[@Sakyesoolo]

When I saw the thumbnail, thought it was a bacon

[@johngavin1175]

What if everything was bacon? 🤟

[@qq587]

jesus been living for 2k years now and telling us all his knowledge.

[@canbest7668]

Sorry. The evidence says he's dead

[@prla5400]

I wanna meet him! Where does he live??

[@canbest7668]

@@prla5400 I think I just saw him at the grocery store. He was picking up some hot cross buns!

[@qq587]

@@canbest7668 Sorry. The evidence says he's talking in this video

[@canbest7668]

@@qq587 sure there is. That was funny!

[@-JA-]

❤👍

[@TheCadman069]

Dave, sorry, you're wrong. The tectonic plates were created when all of the "wah-tur" shot up from under the Earth's crust during Noah's flood. ( LOL )... j/k, great vid!

[@bizzaam1]

Can you debunk expanding earth like you do flat earth. Guessing there are extremely basic scientific arguments. Thanks!

[@Totardotech]

Pangea is explained in hidden in Bible, specifically at Book of Genesis.❤

[@sujanpuri4465]

Love from nepal sir 🇳🇵🇳🇵

[@Davor_jebac_senadove_keve]

Only 2500 views?

[@ProfessorDaveExplains]

Well I just published it a few hours ago. That's pretty average.

[@phyoaung608]

The earth is flat?

[@Davor_jebac_senadove_keve]

@@phyoaung608 Bro you are mentally ill person if you managed to extract that conclusion from my comment lol

[@jailhousephilosopher3309]

I love this channel! One vid is smashing ignoramuses and the next is a like a nova documentary.

[@deehaytch8442]

brilliant example of a proof of flat earth....

[@Eatinbritches]

lol

[@lumithelapphund6990]

How tf

[@MasculinismTV]

Have you read the Adam and Eve story by Chan Thomas ? about pole swaps and catastrophies

[@karlvincent5291]

But dummies say it's flat. Should I believe dummies? Great channel.

[@phyoaung608]

The earth is flat?

[@jeanjohnson391]

Mostly a nice review of plate tectonics, but your use of the word crust instead of lithosphere is not correct. Also the figures that show lithosphere separate from crust are not correct. Lithosphere should always be shown as made up of crust and uppermost mantle that act as a single entity. Crust is not the same thing as lithosphere and should not be used synonymously.

[@JonRuisiCustomDev]

Hi Dave, I love your content but I have a request. Would you consider changing the horn-honk + dousche-face ending to your intro? Every time I watch one of your videos, I get chills of embarrassment when I see that. Thanks in advance for changing it to something even more annoying to spite me!

[@ProfessorDaveExplains]

Eh, I'm a purist. And lots of people like it.

[@johngavin1175]

It's his channel. I'm sure if he wanted to,he could change it to sentient dog turds. There is alot of things people do that I get irritated with(autotune,cilantro,doorless jeeps)but I don't have the self centeredness to Karen them into stopping to make me feel "better." Don't like,don't watch.

[@Starboyxhunter]

Very helpful 😊

[@Anatoly-Cherep]

It can not be helpful because all the plate tectonics is a POOR ungrounded fantasy. The Earth is definitely expanding, and generation of supercontinents could NEVER happen. Sorry.

[@cryptocoinkiwi8272]

How does plate tectonics work on a flat 6,000 year old snow globe domed Earth work?

[@lucyla9947]

It doesn't

[@Charles_S09]

Earth isn’t 6,000 years old

[@cryptocoinkiwi8272]

@@lucyla9947 :(

[@Kjerpezeth]

first

[@cadet526]

Rocks aren’t real

[@youaresomeone3413]

But earth is flat.

[@pahanjayasooriya2513]

It's a globe, fight me

[@uTube486]

The Earth is flat!

[@CNCmachiningisfun]

Yes, it is flat - just like a snooker ball.

[@lumithelapphund6990]

Your brain aswell

[@uTube486]

@@lumithelapphund6990 I hope you know I've been watching Pro. Dave for a while.