In 1915, a German meteorologist named Alfred Wegener came up with an idea. What if, he proposed, the continents moved around over the face of Earth? When Wegener published his thoughts, he was subjected to ridicule and professional blackballing. Entire scientific conventions were held for the purpose of debunking his ideas. Wegener died tragically in 1930, labeled a scientific crackpot. Yet today nearly all of us have learned in...