Includes bibliographical references (p. [347]-407) and index.

The historical background: From continental drift to plate tectonics / Naomi Oreskes -- The early work : from paleomagnetism to sea floor spreading: Stripes on the sea floor / Ron Mason. Reversals of fortune / Frederick J. Vine. The zebra pattern / Lawrence W. Morley. On board the Eltanin-19 / Walter Pitman. The birth of plate tectonics / Neil D. Opdyk -- Heat flow and seismology: How mobile is the Earth? / Gordon J. MacDonald. Heat flow under the oceans / John G. Sclater. Locating earthquakes and plate boundaries / Bruce A. Bolt. Earthquake seismology in the plate tectonics revolution / Jack Oliver -- The plate model: Plate tectonics : a surprising way to start a scientific career / Dan McKenzie. When plates were paving stones / Robert L. Parker. My conversion to plate tectonics / Xavier Le Pichon. -- From the oceans to the continents: Plate tectonics and geology, 1965 to today / John F. Dewey. When the plate tectonic revolution met western North America / Tanya Atwater. The coming of plate tectonics to the Pacific Rim / William R. Dickinson. From plate tectonics to continental tectonics / Peter Molnar -- Epilogue : continents really do move: Plate tectonics : a Martian view / David T. Sandwell.