Question

The following passages were adapted from articles discussing the history of geological science.

Passage A
In the early twentieth century, the notion that Earth’s continents were fixed and immovable was a foundational tenet of geology, deeply embedded in the scientific consensus of the era. Thus, when meteorologist Alfred Wegener proposed the theory of continental drift in 1912, he was met with fierce, nearly universal resistance. To support his radical claim, Wegener marshaled an impressive array of empirical evidence: identical fossil distributions of the prehistoric reptile *Mesosaurus* found exclusively along the distinct coastlines of South America and Africa, as well as matching geological formations and glacial striations separated by the vast Atlantic Ocean. However, despite the elegance of his observational data, his hypothesis suffered from what was considered a fatal physical flaw. Wegener suggested that centrifugal force derived from Earth’s rotation caused the continents to literally plow through the rigid oceanic crust. Physicists and geologists quickly demonstrated mathematically that these rotational forces were vastly insufficient to move continents, leading the broader scientific community to dismiss his theory entirely. The prevailing consensus stubbornly remained that speculative sunken land bridges, rather than drifting landmasses, accounted for the peculiar transoceanic fossil similarities. For decades, continental drift was marginalized, treated by academia as a cautionary tale of unbridled speculation outpacing physical constraints. Prominent critics argued that allowing such a mechanically unsound theory to gain traction would undermine the rigorous, quantitative standards that geology was striving to establish as a modern science. Consequently, Wegener's meticulous cataloging of biological and geological correlations was largely ignored in favor of physically plausible, albeit ad hoc, explanations.

Passage B
The dramatic transition from the widespread rejection of continental drift to the universal acceptance of plate tectonics elegantly illustrates how new technological capabilities can override entrenched theoretical dogma. While early proponents of moving landmasses relied heavily on paleontological and climatological anomalies to build their case, it was ultimately the advent of advanced sonar mapping and sophisticated radiometric dating post-World War II that catalyzed a true scientific paradigm shift. By the 1960s, oceanographers discovering magnetic striping on the ocean floor provided the definitive physical mechanism that earlier theorists had conspicuously lacked: seafloor spreading driven by immense thermal convection currents within the Earth's mantle. Interestingly, while the original proponents of drift were routinely ridiculed by their contemporaries for lacking a viable physical mechanism to explain continental motion, their core observational data regarding matching fossil records across disparate oceans was remarkably accurate and forward-thinking. Today, modern plate tectonic theory not only vindicates the fundamental, once-heretical assertion that continents move, but it also provides a robust, comprehensive geophysical framework. By modeling rigid lithospheric plates gliding over a ductile asthenosphere, contemporary geology seamlessly integrates the historical biological evidence with continuously measurable tectonic forces, transforming an isolated hypothesis into a unifying scientific principle. Furthermore, modern satellite measurements can now track tectonic plate movements down to the millimeter per year, offering real-time confirmation of what early theorists could only deduce from ancient rocks. The vindication of continental movement serves as a powerful reminder that observational data should not be hastily discarded merely because the theoretical apparatus of the time cannot yet accommodate it.

Based on the passages, classify each of the following factual details according to whether it is explicitly affirmed in Passage A only, Passage B only, both passages, or neither passage.