Alexander du Toit facts for kids

Alexander Logie du Toit (born March 14, 1878 – died February 25, 1948) was an important geologist from South Africa. He was one of the first scientists to strongly support Alfred Wegener's idea of continental drift. This theory suggests that Earth's continents have moved over long periods of time.

Early Life and Learning

Alexander du Toit was born in Newlands, Cape Town in 1878. He went to school at Diocesan College and the University of the Cape of Good Hope. His grandfather, Captain Alexander Logie, encouraged him to study.

In 1899, he earned a degree in mining engineering from the Royal Technical College in Glasgow. He also studied geology for a short time in London. Later, he returned to Glasgow to teach geology, mining, and surveying.

Du Toit's Career in Geology

Mapping Southern Africa

In 1903, du Toit became a geologist for the Geological Commission of the Cape of Good Hope. He learned a lot about the geology of southern Africa. He mapped large parts of the Karoo region. This area has many interesting rock formations.

He also mapped the entire Karoo System, from ancient tillite rocks to the basalt of the Drakensberg mountains. Du Toit worked very quickly, but he was also known for being extremely careful. His book, "Our Wandering Continents," shows how detailed his work was. It still helps us understand how plate tectonics works today.

Working with Water and Mines

In 1920, du Toit joined the Union Irrigation Department as a water geologist. This meant he studied how water moves through the ground. In 1927, he became the main consulting geologist for De Beers Consolidated Mines. He worked there until he retired in 1941.

Journey to South America

In 1923, du Toit received money from the Carnegie Institution of Washington. He used this money to travel to eastern South America. He wanted to study the geology of Argentina, Paraguay, and Brazil.

He had a specific goal for this trip. He wanted to see if the rock formations he found in Southern Africa continued into South America. He was able to show that they did! This evidence was very convincing to other geologists. It helped prove that the continents were once joined together.

Developing Continental Drift Ideas

After his research, du Toit published a book called A Geological Comparison of South America with South Africa (1927). This book showed how the rocks and radioactive elements in these regions supported Wegener's ideas.

His most famous book, Our Wandering Continents (1937), built on this work. In it, he suggested that there were two original supercontinents. He called the northern one Laurasia and the southern one Gondwanaland. These two huge landmasses were separated by the Tethys Ocean.

Awards and Special Recognition

In 1933, du Toit received the Murchison Medal from the Geological Society of London. This is a very important award for geologists. In 1943, he became a Fellow of the Royal Society. This is a high honor for scientists.

In 1949, after he passed away, the Geological Society of South Africa started a special lecture series in his honor. These lectures still happen every two years.

In 1973, a large crater on Mars was named "Du Toit." This was to recognize his important work in geology.

Significant Works

• du Toit, A.L. (1926) The Geology of South Africa, Oliver & Boyd, London, UK
• du Toit, A.L. and Reed, F.R.C. (1927) A Geological Comparison of South America with South Africa, Carnegie Institution of Washington, Washington, USA
• du Toit, A.L. (1937) Our Wandering Continents; An Hypothesis of Continental Drifting, Oliver & Boyd, London, UK

See Also

• Dutoitea