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The theory of Plate tectonics – developed from Alfred Wegener’s theory of Continental Drift to explain the movement of the continents – has become the prevailing theory underpinning our understanding of the Earth; how land forms, and the origin of extreme events. Plate tectonics explains why mountains form, earthquakes happen and why volcanoes occur where they do. Research in plate tectonics is broad, including constructive and destructive plate boundaries, intra-plate volcanism, and the origin and evolution of the lithosphere.
This Collection brings together the latest research across the breadth of the field of plate tectonics.