Explain why notions of continental drift were rejected for a long time before being accepted

Lack of Mechanism: The main reason why the theory of continental drift was rejected was due to the lack of a plausible mechanism. Alfred Wegener, the scientist who proposed this theory, suggested that the continents moved through the solid ocean floor, but he couldn't explain how this could happen. The scientific community found this explanation unsatisfactory.

Contradictory Evidence: Some geological and paleontological evidence seemed to contradict Wegener's theory. For example, there were cases where similar fossils were found on continents that Wegener's theory suggested were never connected.

Resistance to New Ideas: The scientific community can often be resistant to new ideas, especially ones that challenge established theories. At the time, the prevailing theory was that the Earth's landmasses were fixed in place, and many scientists were reluctant to consider an alternative.

Insufficient Data: In Wegener's time, there was not enough data about the ocean floor and the Earth's interior to support his theory. It was only with the advent of technology like sonar and seismographs that scientists were able to gather the necessary evidence to support the theory of continental drift.

Plate Tectonics: The acceptance of the theory of continental drift didn't come until the development of the theory of plate tectonics in the 1960s. This theory provided the mechanism that Wegener's theory lacked, explaining how the continents could move across the Earth's surface. Once this theory was developed, the evidence supporting continental drift became much more compelling, leading to its widespread acceptance.