Alfred Wegener proposed that tidal forces could cause continental drift as part of his broader theory of continental drift, which suggested that continents were once joined in a supercontinent called Pangaea. He believed that gravitational interactions with the moon and sun could exert enough force to shift continents over geological time. However, this idea lacked sufficient scientific backing and was unable to explain the mechanisms behind the movement of tectonic plates, which are now understood through the theory of plate tectonics. Ultimately, Wegener's hypothesis was overshadowed by more robust explanations involving mantle convection and plate boundaries.
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