Essay Topics For The Grapes of Wrath

Essay Topics For The Grapes of WrathThere are many ways to use the assignments in The Grapes of Wrath as essay topics for college. You could use it as a literary background for an essay on memoirs, or you could use it to develop your literary analysis skills.One great way to use The Grapes of Wrath as essay topics is to use it as a study of character and fate. Consider the events surrounding the struggles of small towns to survive and thrive in the face of a world-wide famine and a government that seems intent on destroying them. In one scene, the citizens of New Rochelle spend their winter months arguing about who should be allowed to go out to the barn to kill their pigs and raise their families some fresh spring food.This is a great opportunity to use the essays to develop a literary analysis of the subject of character. You can consider how the characters in the novel interpret the world around them and how they react to events as they unfold.If you're looking for literary detail s and literary insight on the characters of The Grapes of Wrath, the best way to do that is to use the essay. You can use the essays as references to help develop your own literary style in literary analysis.If you can develop a literary analysis of The Grapes of Wrath's literary style, you can use the essays as guides to exploring your own literary style. It helps to examine the essays from different perspectives to build a more rounded understanding of the genre. This is not to say that the essays should be used to condemn the novels; they are just tools to develop your own analytical skills.Other essay topics for The Grapes of Wrath include cultural background, family, and personal experience. Consider using these topics to explore your personal experiences as well as your cultural background. Each of the essays include significant details about what happens in the New Rochelle area, so these subjects will work well to better understand the influences that you have had in your li fe.If you are looking for essay topics for the novel that deal with the inner workings of your family, your family's relationships, or you are looking to develop an essay on the experiences of your own family, the essays in The Grapes of Wrath can be a great resource. Use them to develop your own literary analysis of how your family is affected by the events of the novel. Also consider how your experience of your family's upbringing in general can be used to better understand your own experiences with your family.The essays are essay topics for anyone with a love of literature. Use the essays as a way to further develop your own literary style, explore the past, and gain insight into your own experience. These essays provide you with tools that can be used to better understand and appreciate literature.

Middle East Conflict Blood Feuds Essay - 851 Words

Middle East Conflict Blood Feuds The knowledge and understanding of blood feuds helps in the develop understanding of the current conflicts in the Middle East. The Middle East conflict started after World War II when the United Nations handed the Jewish people land once owned by the Palestinians. A conflict has occurred with the Palestinians who live together with Israelis that has led to terrorism and tyranny. Israelis believe they must control the Palestinians to stop their terrorism; while the Palestinians use terrorism to seek independence from Israelis. Blood Feuds in Thull are similar to the situation in the Middle East and are violently depicted in Lincoln Keisers Friend by Day Enemy By Night. After World War II, the†¦show more content†¦During April of 2002 Israeli soldiers attempted to destroy the Palestinian terrorist networks but attacked several Palestinian cities in the progress. In addition too attacking terrorists the soldiers destroyed much of the Palestinian government, including records, equipment, buildings, electricity supplies, water supplies, roads and innocent people. This attack is seen as tyrannical because it is an attempt to never allow the Palestinians to be independent. However Israelis point of view is that the Palestinians are militant terrorists who will not compromise for peace. Even when the Palestinians engaged for peaceful negotiations for peace they demonstrated to back stab the Israelis by sending out terrorists attack in the progress of the meeting on the innocent. Thus the Israeli leaders no longer can trust the Palestinians and have cut off peaceful negotiations. Israelis will not reduce their control because of they fear of terrorism. In Lincoln Keisers Friend by Day Enemy by Night he discovers the brutality between enemies in Thull known as Blood Feud. The idea of Blood Feud is to seek retribution through murdering an individual who has disrespected a mans honor. The majority of conflicts do not involve clans but male individuals and his allies. Killing the enemy in retaliation for some personal injury is the goal, and no rules limit the use of weapons. (Keiser, 2). In Thull most men are neitherShow MoreRelatedPeace in the Middle East Essays1089 Words   |  5 PagesThe text begins its history with the Middle East around the time of Muhammad and the creation of Islam. From that time forth uprisings, demonstrations and acts of violence were commonplace and have continued to be since that time. To dig a little deeper and go back a little further in Middle East history one will find that this pattern of unrest stems from as far back as proof provides. To see a timeline of significant wars or battles of the Middle East, the picture is better illustrated on justRead MoreRepresentations Of Women And Women1539 Words   |  7 PagesIceland to Russia, yet she is hesitant about presenting this as evidence of female participation in Viking raids. She says, â€Å"In spite of the archaeological evidence that women from Scandinavia accompanied the men who went trading and adventuring in the east, we are never told this in the written sources.† However, what written sources do contain is a picture of how medieval writers viewed the Viking Age through a gendered bias. Jesch analyzes the History of the Danes, written by Saxo Grammaticus inRead MoreThe Longest Running Fued is the Sunni and Shia Conflict1698 Words   |  7 PagesThe Sunni and Shia conflict is currently the longest running feud in the world. Both groups possess an extreme hatred for one another. Over the years, these two groups have openly expressed their hatred with one another through violent killings. This split between the Shia and Sunni originates all the way back in the 7th century. Their difference was based on political differences. As a part of my essay I will explain the difference and origins of the split between the Shi’a and Sunni and also coverRead MoreThe Islamic World1462 Words   |  6 PagesAfrica, Southwestern Europe, and east into Central Asia. It’s hard to measure the effects of this troubled dynasty without speculation, but it’s fair to say they had both highs and many lows. The Umayyads consolidated power and eventually improved the governance of their growing empire, expanded their own economic capabilities, and also advanced Arab and Muslim culture throughout the region. However, rapid imperial expansion, tribal feuds, intra-family conflict over successions, and the misconductRead MoreThe Violent Myth Of Appalachia Essay3997 Words   |  16 Pagesjust as social as any other of America?s inhabitants. The Appalachian region has been noticed by some for the history of Native Americans. It is true that the Appalachians have been home to many Native Americans over the years. [1: Bruce Stewart E. Blood in the Hills a History of Violence in Appalachia. (Lexington: University Press of Kentucky, 2012) 27 ] A diverse population of Native Americans has lived in the mountain South for around three thousand years. The Iroquois, who were the dominantRead MoreThe Pessimism of Beowulf in the Epic Poem, Beowulf Essay2837 Words   |  12 Pagesmanner: â€Å"I shall perform the deeds of a hero or I have passed my last day in this mead-hall.† Even Grendel, who is pessimism personified, the antithesis of Heorot’s joy, recognizes the hero’s superior strength: â€Å"The criminal knew he had not met in this middle-earth another with such a grip.† Other warriors, when thinking of Beowulf, â€Å"would quickly compose a skillful tale in words.† Hrothgar refers to Beowulf as â€Å"the best of warriors.†Ã‚   The Danish queen Wealhtheow compliments after Grendel’s defeat, â€Å"YouRead MoreThe Epic of Beowulf is an Heroic Elegy Essay3261 Words   |  14 Pagesgrasp.† Beowulf consciously chooses to act in a superhuman manner: â€Å"I shall perform the deeds of a hero or I have passed my last day in this mead-hall.† Even Grendel recognizes the hero’s superior strength: â€Å"The criminal knew he had not met in this middle-earth another with such a grip.† Other warriors, when thinking of Beowulf, â€Å"would quickly compose a skillful tale in words.† Hrothgar refers to Beowulf as â€Å"the best of warriors.†Ã‚   The Danish queen Wealhtheow compliments after Grendel’s defeat, â€Å"YouRead More War in Iraq: There Was Another Option Essay example3206 Words   |  13 PagesWar in Iraq: There Was Another Option 1. As our brave men and women in uniform find themselves embroiled again in a conflict in the Middle East, debate surrounding the timeliness and necessity of this second Gulf conflict has ceased in most professional circles. However, before the current conflict began, controversy raged over when and how to best prosecute this situation. Many argued that the United States should have worked through the United Nations to pursue a resolution that had the consensusRead MoreWars And The Oppressed : Avoidable Tragedy3179 Words   |  13 PagesThe avoidable tragedy War leads to oppression and leaves negative implications on all people and societies by impacting the poor, women, children, and nations as a whole. War is a state of violent conflict between one or more groups (Rasenberger 3). Rasenberger defines war as a state of conflict between one group within itself or several groups in combat with each other, what is not mentioned are the after-effects of war. War itself leads to many civilian and military deaths, an estimated 1.5-3Read More Is Beowulf an Heroic Elegy or an Epic Narrative? Essay4711 Words   |  19 Pagesgrasp.† Beowulf consciously chooses to act in a superhuman manner: â€Å"I shall perform the deeds of a hero or I have passed my last day in this mead-hall.† Even Grendel recognizes the hero’s superior strength: â€Å"The criminal knew he had not met in this middle-earth another with such a grip.† Other warriors, when thinking of Beowulf, â€Å"would quickly compose a skillful tale in words.† Hrothgar refers to Beowulf as â€Å"the best of warriors.†Ã‚   The Danish queen Wealhtheow compliments after Grendel’s defeat, â€Å"You

The Policy Language Of Clipper Mill Fed - 1016 Words

Accordingly, since Clendenin Bros., the policy language has been broadened—seemingly in response to Clendenin Bros. and similar cases—to include not only environmental pollution, but also, substances that are â€Å"harmful or toxic to persons [or] property.† The significance of this distinction was recognized in Clipper Mill Fed., LLC v. Cincinnati Ins. Co, 2010 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 112172 (D.Md. 2010), where a landlord/insured alleged that damages caused by â€Å"[t]oxic and dangerous airborne pollutants† attributable to a malfunctioning HVAC unit gave rise to a claim against the insured by a tenant. Id. at 3. In that case, although the pollution at issue was not â€Å"environmental,† the District of Maryland observed that: The policy in the present case contains an important distinction from that involved in Clendenin Bros. The CGL Policy tracks the definition of â€Å"Pollutant† contained in the policy at issue in Clendenin Bros., but adds, â€Å"‘Pollutants’ include but are not limited to substances which are generally recognized in industry or government to be harmful or toxic to persons, property or the environment. . . .† Compare Clendenin Bros., 889 A.2d at 390, with CGL Policy, Form GA 1011204  § V(18) (emphasis added). The addition of this sentence expanded the definition of Pollutant beyond environmental pollutants. The CGL Policy’s use of the phrase â€Å"harmful or toxic to persons, property or the environment† shows that the definition includes irritants and contaminants that harm persons butShow MoreRelatedDeveloping Management Skills404131 Words   |  1617 Pageswith an intense, emotional confrontation, that person may begin by reacting suppor tively. But as pressure mounts, he or she is likely to revert to the more practiced, combative style. That is why, it is said, that people always curse in their native language. Stress causes us to revert to our fundamental, most reinforced behaviors. Thus it is important that learners not make the mistake of thinking they can delay applying skill training until they become managers. When problems and conflicts occur thenRead MoreIntroduction to Materials Management169665 Words   |  679 Pagesinformation and increased organizational flexibility. Conflicts in Traditional Systems In the past, supply, production, and distribution systems were organized into separate functions that reported to different departments of a company. Often policies and practices of the different departments maximized departmental objectives without From the Library of Girro@qq.com Introduction to Materials Management 9 considering the effect they would have on other parts of the system. Because

Censorship Filters The Media Within The World - 1574 Words

Does censorship filter the media within the world? Censorship has followed the free expressions of men and women like a shadow throughout history. Censorship is a way to filter the media in the world by suppressing unacceptable viewings or hearings by not showing, bleeping out, and covering the distasteful parts. In ancient societies, China for example, censorship was considered a logical tool for regulating the political and moral life of the population. The term censor can be traced to the office of censor established in Rome i 443 BC. In Rome, in the ancient Greek communities, the thought of good governance included shaping the character of the people, although, censorship was regarded as a righteous task. In China, the first censorship law was introduced in 300 AD. Censorship is a healthy way of teaching the world, helps control the influx of information and ideas in society and compresses the violence within the world. Though freedom of speech is legal within the United States of America, all things said, shown, or expressed are not always appropriate. In most cases, inappropriate speech and/or acts lead to illegal acts or urge others to. For example, if someone witnesses a scene, is a part of a scene or hears about it, most will want to converse about it or take part in it creating chaotic controversy. However, more severe forms have led to people or groups such as the Ku Klux Klan being denied certain marching permits or the Westboro Baptist Church being sued,Show MoreRelatedInternet Censorship: Censoring Freedom Essay1707 Words   |  7 Pages With today’s technology, communication and information can travel across the world in a matter of seconds. Ever since the internet was first made publically available in 1991 the ease of accessing entertainment, education, and information has been increasing every year. We now live in an age where roughly 30% of all people in the entire world are connected to the web (World Internet Usage Statistics New and World Population Stats). However, despite the obvious advantages of the internet’s freedomRead MoreSocial Media Public Sphere1164 Words   |  5 Pagescommunicates with one another. There is no doubt that the Internet has changed the way the world interacts with one another on a democratic scale. Can it be said that with the emergence of the Internet, a new public sphere has been created? If so, is this new public sphere capable of embodying the theory that Habermas constructed? Petros Iosifidis article â€Å"The Public Sphere, Social Networks and Public Service M edia† (2011) examines reasons that hinder social networks from becoming a seamless public sphereRead MoreReasons For Why Diversity Within The Public Sphere1390 Words   |  6 Pagesanywhere in the world, even allowing banned information to become accessed such as Join the Caravan (Saul, 2006, p.15). If democratic societies did not have the ability for the people within the society to have input on the public sphere, than not only is the public sphere destroyed but also the notion that the society is democratic. The public service model also shows that democratic societies rely on a diversity of viewpoints as Rowbottom explains, the model allows for media to present the highestRead MoreCensorship And The Media Of Censorship1407 Words   |  6 Pagesthe same can be said about censorship. Censorship and privacy do not solely revolve around leaks and personal intrusions from foreign entities. The advent of social media and cell phones have created new avenues for people to commu nicate and share information; The internet provides people a new and global way to spread information that can be considered worthy of censorship. Many people I know argue that censorship should not be commonplace in the media, in social media, or even in the entire InternetRead MoreFailures of Internet Censorship Essay1890 Words   |  8 PagesInternet censorship is the use of filters or ‘blocks’ to control what is published, access and viewed across the internet. It is used by parents, organisations such as schools and corporations and governments to restrict what their citizen’s access and post online. Internet censorship has occurred since the early days of the public internet, where governments around the world have attempted to address the issue of illegal material, political propaganda, harmful material or content deemed unsuitableRead MorePosition Paper: Censorship1391 Words   |  6 Pages Every structured society has suffered from some form of censor ship of literature, art, or entertainment. Plato, the famous the famous Greek philosopher, was the first to record a method of censorship in a democratic society. In his Republic one of the first guidelines Plato designates is that The first thing will be to establish a censorship of the writers of fiction, and let the censors receive any tale of fiction which is good, and reject the bad; and we will desire mothers and nurses to tellRead MoreThe Internet Can Be A Dark And Dangerous Place1708 Words   |  7 Pages The technology is surge spreading and developing surrounds us. In particular, the Internet has become widespread among the world within rapid time. Nowadays, the Internet is one of the factors that produce the globalization around the world, and it makes our life more convenient. In the past, people were doing their needs via conventional ways, but now they are doing most of them via the Internet. As a result, that proves the amazing usages and benefits of the principle inventionRead MoreConcepts And Ideas Of Sociology899 Words   |  4 PagesConcepts and ideas discussed in sociology has helped me to understand more about others and our surroundings. Agents of socialization are associated within our daily lives; Family, culture, schooling, religion, and media all has a meaning and plays a major role in society influencing who we are. No matter how wealthy or poor one might be. Everyone has influence over each other through the glass looking self, an individual have multiple perceptions of himself uniquely created form one person to theRead More Global Look at Internet Censorship Essay2815 Words   |  12 PagesGlobal Look at Internet Censorship Introduction Many Americans take for granted the freedom that living in the United States allows us. As we go through our days, we whine about our bosses, the governor’s latest political agenda, or read commentary about how the war in Iraq is morally wrong. Whether we are sending e-mail, posting on message boards, or reading the news online, we are guaranteed the same freedom of self expression that we enjoy offline. In other countries, the mere act ofRead MoreEssay about Freedom of Expression on the Internet3920 Words   |  16 PagesIntroduction This paper addresses whether we should censor or block access to websites with controversial material. It looks at the issue from several sides: The relevant US laws that are in place, how censorship is used at the university and corporate levels, how other countries are attempting censorship, and finally what I feel about the topic. Given all that I have read in preparing this paper, I have come to the conclusion that without a set of globally-accepted rules, we should not be censoring

Goals for the future free essay sample

Over the Corse of my high school year I have had many different goals but the main goal that I’m still working at is to keep up on track with my work. I believe that this goal has helped me a lot because with this goal I’m able to do more than one thing. I’m able to first know what I have turned in and what work I have to turn in still. With this goal I also know how to show my teachers in case my work is lost that I did turn in so I can get my points. When I graduate from high school I want to be in the medical field like a registered nurse and with this goal I know that I will be able to reach my career goal. I also think that with this goal it will help me not only to graduate from high school but also from college and go with me throw out my career as a registered nurse. We will write a custom essay sample on Goals for the future or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page I can use this goal to be on top of my work and know what patients I have helped and also be able to know what patient I still need to help. As you can see I look at my goals as a system, a system that revolves around me and my life. One goal can make all my life really easy. I will be able to take challenging courses and still be able to pass them. I will also go to college and use my goal to do well in college and not get caught behind on schedule. And last I will be able to graduate college and go to the career that I want and use that same goal to be great at what I love to do which is to interact with the patients and be able to make their horrible visit a nice stay to make sure they forget about the health problems they might have. If I could give everyone one tip it would be to make one goal that works for you and your life that you can stay with you for a long time that you can use and re-use.

The Matchmaker Essays - English-language Films, Hello, Dolly!

The Matchmaker The Matchmaker has four main characters Mrs. Dolly Levi, Mr. Horace Vandergelder, Cornelius Hackl, and Mrs. Irene Molloy. Each character has his or her own personality, but one thing that each character has in common is that they want some type of adventure or change in their life. How they go about these changes they each do differently. Mrs. Dolly Levi is a lady who likes to get what she wants. She has ambitions and likes to live life to its fullist. These are all positive characteristics about Mrs. Levi. It is how she goes about getting what she wants that makes her a interesting character. Mrs. Levi enjoys getting into other peoples business and telling them how to conduct their lives. Even though that fits her job description as a matchmaker, she goes about doing it in a very manipulitive way. I, Mrs. Dolly Levi, intend to make the most of my life. I want to spend lots of money and enjoy doing it. I want to marry Mr. Vandergelder and I will lie and cheat in order to do so. Without money I am not happy and I want to be happy, that is why I will marry Mr. Vandergelder. I think that Mr. Vandergelder is a nice old man on the inside once you get past his grumpy facade. He needs a little excitement in his life and I will give it to him. Mr. Horace Vandergelder is a stingy, cruel and miserable old man. He wants things done his way or no way at all. If things are not the way he wants them they are wrong and ?foolish?. Horace has all this money and has nothing to spend it on. He just wants to control his nieces life. For the first time it seems, in this play, he realizes he may want to take a little risk in his life. I, Mr. Horace Vandergelder, want to get married. I am willing to take the first risk that I have taken in a long time and get married. I need a little bit of order in my house and that is what a wife will do for me. I like Mrs. Levi, mainly because I am paying her to find a suitible wife for me. I love my niece Ermengarde but she is a fool for wanting to marry Ambrose, a man with no money. I do not understand why she would want to marry a poor artist. Cornelius Hackl is a very spontaneous character who is the most willing to take large risks in his life. He is now thirty-three and realizes that his life is not moving as fast as he would like for it to. This is why he chose to go to New York and do something about it and it sure paid off for him. Cornelius is a leader and not afraid to take chances. He feels a great need for adventure in his life and takes Barnaby with him. I, Cornelius, am getting too old to have the same position that I have had at work for so long now. I feel that I need a change in my life, an adventure. Even if I need to risk everything I have, which is not much, I am willing to do it to get something more out of my life. I am really fed up with Mr. Vandergelder always bossing me around and never showing me any gratification for it. He does not appreciate anything that I have ever done for him. Barnaby is one of my best friends and it is my responsibility to show him how to have a good time and make life a little adventerous. Mrs. Molloy is the kind of women that I have always wanted, I dream about marrying her. Mrs. Irene Molloy, is another character who is searching for some kind of adventure in her life. Mrs. Molloy, like Mr. Vandergelder, is looking to get married. She says she wants to marry a husband who will have good fights with her. Mrs. Molloy despite having strange views on marriage is a very nice lady who was willing to help Barnaby and Cornelius when they were in

Interesting and Strange Astronomy Facts

Interesting and Strange Astronomy Facts Even though people have studied the heavens for thousands of years, we still know relatively little about the  universe. While astronomers continue to explore, they learn more about the stars, planets, and galaxies in some detail and yet some phenomena remain puzzling. Whether or not scientists will be able to solve the mysteries of the universe is a mystery itself, but the fascinating study of space and all its many anomalies will continue to inspire new ideas and give impetus to new discoveries as long as humans continue to look up at the skies and wonder, Whats out there? Dark Matter in the Universe   Astronomers are always on the hunt for dark matter, a mysterious form of matter that cant be detected by normal means- hence its name. All of the universal matter that can be detected by current methods comprises only about 5 percent of the total matter in the universe. Dark matter makes up the rest, along with something known as dark energy. When people look at the night sky, no matter how many stars they see (and galaxies, if theyre using a telescope), theyre only witnessing a tiny fraction of whats actually out there. While astronomers sometimes use the term vacuum of space, the space that light travels through isnt completely empty. There are actually a few atoms of matter in each cubic meter of space. The space between galaxies, which was once thought to be quite empty, is often filled with molecules of gas and dust. Dense Objects in the Cosmos People also used to think that black holes were the answer to the dark matter conundrum. (That is, it was believed that the unaccounted for matter might be in black holes.) While the idea turns out not to be true, black holes  continue to fascinate astronomers, with good reason. Black holes are so  dense and have such intense gravity, that nothing- not even light- can escape them.  For example, should an intergalactic ship somehow get too close to a black hole and be sucked in by its gravitational pull face first,  the force on the front of the ship would be so much stronger than the force at the back, that the ship and the people inside would get stretched out- or elasticized like taffy- by the intensity of the gravitational pull. The result? No one gets out alive. Did you know that black holes can and do collide? When this phenomenon occurs between supermassive black holes,  gravitational waves  are released. Though the existence of these waves was speculated to  exist, they werent actually detected until 2015. Since then, astronomers have detected gravitational waves from several titanic black hole collisions.   Neutron  stars- the leftovers of the deaths of massive stars in supernova explosions- arent the same thing as black holes, but they also collide with one another. These stars are so dense that a glass full of neutron star material would have more mass than the Moon. As gargantuan as they are, neutron stars are among the fastest spinning objects in the universe. Astronomers studying them have clocked them at spin rates of up to 500 times per second. Whats a Star and What Isnt? Humans have a funny propensity to call any bright object in the sky a star- even when its not. A star is a sphere of superheated gas that gives off light and heat, and usually has some sort of fusion going on inside it. This means that shooting stars arent really stars. (More often than not, theyre just tiny dust particles falling through our atmosphere that vaporize due to the heat of friction with the atmospheric gases.) What else is not a star? A planet is not a star. Thats because- for starters- unlike stars, planets dont fuse atoms in their interiors and theyre much smaller than your average star, and while comets may be bright in appearance, theyre not stars, either. As comets travel around the Sun, they leave behind dust trails. When Earth passes through  a cometary  orbit and encounters those trails,  we see an increase in meteors (also not stars) as the particles move through our atmosphere and are burned up. Our Solar System Our own star, the Sun, is a force to be reckoned with. Deep inside the Suns core, hydrogen is fused to create helium. During that process, the core releases the equivalent of 100 billion nuclear bombs  every second. All that energy works its way out through the Suns various layers, taking thousands of years to make the trip. The Suns energy, emitted as heat and light, powers the solar system. Other stars go through this same process during their lives, which makes stars the powerhouses of the cosmos.   The Sun may be the star of our show but the solar system in which we live is full of weird and wonderful features as well.  For instance, even though Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun, temperatures can drop to a frigid -280 ° F on the planets surface. How? Since Mercury has almost no atmosphere, theres nothing to trap heat near the surface. As a result, the dark side of the planet- the one facing away from the Sun- gets extremely cold. While its farther away from the Sun, Venus is considerably hotter than Mercury due to the thickness of Venus’ atmosphere, which traps heat near the surface of the planet. Venus also spins very slowly on its axis. One day on Venus is equivalent to 243 Earth days, however, Venuss year is only 224.7 days. Odder still, Venus spins  backward  on its axis as compared to the other planets in the solar system. Galaxies, Interstellar Space, and Light The universe is more than 13.7 billion years old and it is home to billions of galaxies. No one is quite sure exactly how many galaxies there are all told, but some of the facts we do know are pretty impressive. How do we know what we know about galaxies? Astronomers study the light objects emit for clues as to their origins, evolution, and age. Light from distant stars and galaxies takes so long to reach Earth that were actually seeing these objects as they appeared in the past. When we look up at the night sky, were in effect, looking back in time. The farther away something is, the farther back in time it appears. For instance, the Suns light takes almost 8.5 minutes to travel to Earth, so we see the Sun as it appeared 8.5 minutes ago. The nearest star to us, Proxima Centauri, is 4.2 light-years away, so it appears to our eyes as it was 4.2 years ago. The nearest galaxy is 2.5 million light-years away and looks the way it did when our Australopithecus hominid ancestors walked the planet. Over the course of time, some older galaxies have been cannibalized by younger ones. For example, the Whirlpool galaxy (also known as Messier 51 or M51)- a two-armed spiral that lies between 25 million and 37 million light-years away from the  Milky Way that can be observed with an amateur telescope- appears to have been through one galaxy merger/cannibalization in its past.   The universe is brimming with galaxies, and the most distant ones are moving away from us at more than 90 percent of the speed of light. One of the strangest ideas of all- and one thats likely to come true- is the expanding universe theory, which hypothesizes that the universe will continue to expand and as it does, galaxies will grow farther apart until their star-forming regions eventually run out. Billions of years from now, the universe will be made up of old, red galaxies (those at the end of their evolution), so far apart that their stars will be almost impossible to detect.