Ernst Süß

Ernst Süß (also spelled Suess) was an Austrian geologist and expert in the geology of the Alps. He was born in Vienna on August 20, 1831, and died there on April 26, 1914.

Süß is best known for his theory of the ancient supercontinent Gondwana and the now-obsolete theory of the Tethys Ocean. He proposed the existence of Gondwana to explain the presence of similar fossil plant species in South America, Africa, India, Australia, and Antarctica. He argued that these continents were once connected in a single landmass.

His major work is the multi-volume "Das Antlitz der Erde" ("The Face of the Earth"), published between 1883 and 1909. This comprehensive treatise on global tectonics and geophysics synthesized vast amounts of geological data. It covered diverse topics including mountain building, earthquakes, and the structure of the Earth's crust.

Süß served as a professor of geology at the University of Vienna and held several prominent positions, including president of the Austrian Academy of Sciences. His work profoundly influenced the development of geology and plate tectonics, though some of his specific ideas, like the contraction theory of the Earth, have been superseded by modern understanding. He received numerous awards and honors for his contributions to science.