Final answer:
Sir Francis Bacon is commonly credited with the first allusion to continental drift in 1620, but it was Alfred Wegener who formulated the hypothesis and provided evidence for it in the early 20th century.
Step-by-step explanation:
The individual commonly credited with publishing the first allusion to continental drift in 1620 is Sir Francis Bacon. This early recognition of the jigsaw-puzzle fit of continents such as the coastlines of South America and Africa hinted at the possibility that continents might have been connected in the past. However, it was not until Alfred Wegener presented his comprehensive hypothesis for continental drift in 1912, followed by his book in 1915, that the idea gained significant scientific consideration. Wegener gathered evidence for his theory from a variety of sources, including the congruence of continental shapes and the similarity of fossils found on different continents. Despite this early recognition by Bacon, Wegener is the one who extensively formulated the hypothesis and provided the substantial evidence needed to support the concept of moving continents, leading to the modern understanding of plate tectonics.