Who proposed the theory of continental drift?

The theory of continental drift, which suggests that continents were once joined together and have since drifted apart, was proposed by Alfred Wegener. Wegener introduced this idea in the early 20th century, specifically in 1912, and he supported it with various pieces of evidence, including the fit of the continents, geological similarities across continents, and fossil distributions. His work laid the groundwork for modern plate tectonics, which provides a more comprehensive understanding of the movement of Earth's lithospheric plates.

The other individuals listed made significant contributions to their respective fields, but none proposed the theory of continental drift. Charles Lyell is known for his work in geology and the principles of uniformitarianism, which influenced our understanding of Earth's processes over time. Isaac Newton is renowned for his laws of motion and universal gravitation, while Charles Darwin is famous for his theory of evolution through natural selection. Their contributions are essential to science, but they do not pertain to the concept of continental drift.