Immigration Is The Action Of Coming Essay - 2164 Words

Immigration is the action of coming to live permanently in a foreign country. However, this is a very controversial subject in the United States. On one end of the spectrum, immigration is viewed as a way to help grow the economy and increase cultural diversity in America. At the other end, it’s seen as poor people leaving their countries to steal American jobs or live off the free programs that help those out who don’t have much. The United States has tried almost everything, including increasing border security all the way to deportation of millions of undocumented people and it still hasn’t stopped the flooding of immigrants to this country. There’s clearly something enticing about the country to make them want to come and that is the promise of a better life for themselves and their families. Nobody deserves to be stuck in poverty-struck areas for the rest of their lives. Immigration laws shouldn’t be tightened, but reformed to benefit the peopl e coming in and also the country they’re entering. Throughout history, America has dealt with some difficulty on deciding what to do regarding their immigration policy. As it stands, a lot of people seem to have problems with the current immigration system. Some feel as if immigration into the United States should cease to exist while others believe in letting everyone in. Those are the two extremist views though. Before America became America, there was already Native Americans on the land, but then the first immigrants, beingShow MoreRelatedThe State Of Californi An Alternative Means Of Handling The Concerns Over Immigration1436 Words   |  6 Pagespopulation. Recent events however, are creating a new interest in the topic. New measures are being passed, new statistics are coming out, and new relations are being formed in the state. All of this new information relating to the issue is being taken into consideration by politicians and concerned individuals try to find an alternative means of handling the concerns over immigration. On August 26th of this year, the president of Mexico paid a visit to California. President Nieto toured the state forRead MoreThese Quotas Made It Very Clear On Who Was And Was Not1628 Words   |  7 Pagesparameters that the populace were supposed to meet that went dove completely into who the individual was. The economic, political and social state of the immigrant were all addressed in this law. More importantly, this law addressed the idea of illegal immigration. The Walter McCarren Act of 1952 â€Å"made it illegal to conceal or harbor an undocumented immigrant but not to employ them.† The contradiction of the politics of the United States is clearly stated in the law. It is apparent that in the 1950s asRead MoreThe Negative Effects Of Illegal Immigration1069 Words   |  5 Pages Immigration, by definition, is the term used to describe the action of coming to live in a foreign country permanently. Illegal immigration however, is the action of crossing, or overstaying, in a place that isn’t one’s native home, without guaranteed residence. For years, people have immigrated left and right due to various reasons and certain said opportunities. It wasn’t until the 1800’s, when the number of immigrants in the United States skyrocketed, that continuous debates about whether illegalRead MoreImmigration And The Issue Of Immigration987 Words   |  4 Pagesissue of immigration since the 1900s. Immigration has been an issue declared by both Democrats and Republicans alike over debates, elections and even the presidency. Each political party has different viewpoints of immigration and how it effects society and the U.S. as a whole. Immigration is the great division between two opinions. These two sides are: one being people that are accepting with immigrants coming in and out of the U.S., while the others say there shouldn’t be any immigrants coming to theRead MoreWar on Immigration Essay975 Words   |  4 Pagesself-defense, and seeking relief from the crushing burden of supporting over 460,000 illegal aliens. Arizona, the biggest gateway into the U.S. for illegal immigration, faces bankruptcy from the increased health care, education, and welfare costs. Moreover, their citizens face terrorism and murder by illegal aliens. Every past action and inaction undertaken by the federal government contradicts each other and their arguments in this lawsuit. What they are saying in the suit is that Arizona isRead MoreThe Problem Of Saudi Arabia1084 Words   |  5 Pagesanalyze the problem and declared some policies about the illegal immigrants or people overstaying in the country even after their immigration time has expired. The rule has been so critical and changed the definition of the immigration that people staying in the country after the expiry of their visa will be treated as an illegal immigrant. The police have taken very strong action against the illegal immigrants. This all is done to accommodate their own people in certain jobs so that they can be employedRead MoreAmerica Needs Immigra tion Reform Essay1034 Words   |  5 PagesImmigration reduction refers to a movement in the United States that advocates a reduction in the amount of immigration allowed into the country. Steps advocated for reducing the numbers of immigrants include advocating stronger action to prevent illegal entry and illegal immigration, and reductions in non-immigrant temporary work visas (such as H-1B and L-1). Some advocate a tightening of the requirements for legal immigration requirements to reduce total numbers, or move the proportions of legalRead MoreWhy We Need Immigration Reform1168 Words   |  5 Pages Why we need immigration reform Immigration is important to America and so is Immigration reform. The laws we have in place are unfair and unsuccessful to all of us. In order to progress we need to look at our country’s past to advance in our future. Our economy and society can learn and advance with immigration reform. Our laws on Immigration need an upgrade and most politicians would agree that we need immigration reform also. Immigration reform is the renewal of our immigration laws, but littleRead MoreWhy We Need Immigration Reform1168 Words   |  5 Pages Why we need immigration reform Immigration is important to America and so is Immigration reform. The laws we have in place are unfair and unsuccessful to all of us. In order to progress we need to look in our country’s past to advance to our future. Our economy and society can learn and advance with immigration reform. Our laws on Immigration need an upgrade and most politicians would agree that we need immigration reform also. Immigration reform is the renewal of our immigration laws, but littleRead MoreImmigration Reform Should Not Be Eligible For Work Authorization863 Words   |  4 PagesObama’s administration proposal regarding immigration reform actions. If passed, the actions will allow millions of undocumented immigration to be eligible for work authorization. This will also effect the implementation of the Deferred Actions for Parents of Americans, Lawful Permanent Residents, and an expansion on Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, which affects teens and young adults raised in the U.S but born outside the country. If passed these actions will allow eligible participants to get

Reasons For Writing The Declaration Of Independence

Reasons for Writing the Declaration of Independence Every July 4, Americans celebrate the signing of the Declaration of Independence, but do we really understand why it was written in the first place? The Declaration of Independence, written by Thomas Jefferson and adopted by the Second Continental Congress on July 4, 1776 is by far one of the most important historical documents for the United States of America (Stockdale, 2016). In Jefferson s words, the Declaration was written, In order to place before mankind the common sense of the matter in terms as plain and simple as to command their assent. The authors of this document addressed the philosophy of natural rights, compiled a lengthy list of grievances towards the King, and let England know that the American Colonists were about to declare themselves an independent nation. They wanted their intentions to be very clear for King George III. The American Colonist’s largest complaint addressed in The Declaration of Independence was that rules were being passed in England that affected their life in the colonies; however, the colonists had no representation in their home country to voice the opinions of the colonists. The colonists believed that England was wrongfully taxing them in order to pay off the debt that was accrued by the French and Indian War. This issue became widely known as â€Å"Taxation without Representation.† Parliament had implemented various acts that taxed the American colonists on tea, stamps, oil, lead,Show MoreRelatedThe Reasons Behind The Writing Of The Declaration Of Independence896 Words   |  4 PagesThe Reasons Behind the Writing of the Declaration of Independence There were several events that led up to the writing and publication of the Declaration of Independence. The colonists did not understand why they were being taxed on items such as stamps and tea which was extremely essential to the colonists at this time. The phrase â€Å"taxation without representation† was used by the colonists to show their outrage with these taxes from England. They set out to rebel and started the American RevolutionRead MoreSimilarities Between Common Sense And The Declaration Of Independence1489 Words   |  6 Pagesand indirectly affected the American Revolution are The Declaration of Independence (July 1776), Thomas Paine’s â€Å"Common Sense† (January 1776), and John Locke’s â€Å"Second Treatise of Government† (1689). All of these documents are related to one another in the fact that they paved the way for the future of America and led to the amazing country we live in today. To start off, there are many similarities in regards to The Declaration of Independence and â€Å"Common Sense†. We can see these documents agreeRead MoreThomas Paine Common Sense Analysis1052 Words   |  5 Pagesovernight nor with one word. One can clearly see how words and ideas have an impact on people’s thoughts and writing by examining â€Å"The Declaration of Independence† and Thomas Paine’s â€Å"Common Sense.† Basically, the two documents echo principles stated in John Locke’s â€Å"Second Treatise of Government,† and share a style of expressing their feelings on national issues; the authors examine and give reasons for colonial problems with the government and offer a solution. The tone and audience might vary, butRead MoreThe Declaration Of Independence And Independence1501 Words   |  7 PagesThe Declaration of Independence The Declaration of Independence is one of the most important document in U.S history that helped led to this country s independence from Great Britain. The Declaration of Independence helped us earn our freedom to become an independent nation with our own rules. However, without Thomas Jefferson and the rest of their concerns and reasons for separating this wouldn t have been possible. The writing alone wouldn’t have made this document memorable.The use of rhetoricalRead MoreDeclaration Of Independence By Richard Henry1212 Words   |  5 PagesDeclaration of Independence The Declaration of Independence was definitely a day to remember. The events leading to the signing of the Declaration of Independence played a key role in it. â€Å"Resolved, that these United Colonies, are and of right to be free and independent states.†(Declaration of Independence). That quote, coming from the Declaration of Independence, pretty much sums up the reason for the writing of the Declaration of Independence, becoming independent from the rule of Great BritainRead MorePolitics And The English Language1488 Words   |  6 Pagesverbal false limbs, pretentious diction, and meaningless words. However, Orwell also suggests that if all writers follow his six rules of writing mentioned in the article, it will benefit them for constructing a successful essay. Regarding to Orwell’s standard, many famous speeches or articles can be a subject for evaluation. In this case, the Declaration of Independence (US 1776), drafted by Thomas Jefferson and adopted by the Cont inental Congress, was to declare a separation from the British Empire.Read MoreWomen s Rights During Colonial Times Essay1325 Words   |  6 PagesTimes In July of 1776, the Declaration of Independence was signed with the idea that all men were created equal. However, â€Å"all men† seemed to only to apply to white males, since women were not granted many of the promises articulated in the Declaration of Independence. In response, Judith Sargent Murray and Abigail Adams demanded equality through their writings, On the Equality of the Sexes and the 1776 correspondence between Abigail and John Adams. Through their writings, Murray and Adams argue forRead MoreCommon Sense And The Declaration Of Independence1517 Words   |  7 PagesCommon Sense and the Declaration of Independence are two very important documents in American history. Written by Thomas Paine, although not an official document, promotes thoughts that the citizens understood and needed, but did not know how to express their actions and ideas. The Declaration states the necessary reasons for independence in the colonies as well as the importance that their are equal rights. The Declaration announced to the world as a unanimous decision that the thirteen coloniesRead MoreThe, Liberty, And The Pursuit Of Happiness1728 Words   |  7 Pagesprovoking writing Common Sense, this country’s independence would have ceased to exist. In April of 1775 the war began which would be fought for 8 more years to end British rule over the 13 colonies. The fight for independence was not easy, but Paine wrote words of encouragement for all Americans to consider. Paine wrote his pamphlet Common Sense months after the battle of Lexington and Concord in 1775. He meant to convince and inspire Americans that the time to declare independence was nowRead MoreThe Most Reasons For Becoming Independent1057 Words   |  5 PagesNations have many reasons for becoming independent. It could be acts of being treated unfairly or betrayal. Our nation’s birth would have many reasons just like those and more. Our land of the free and home of the brave would become the independent United States of America on July 4th, 1776. Before the leading battles in the Revolutionary War emerged, very little of the colonists wanted full independence from Great Britain. Toward the beginning there were little problems between the colonies and

Chromosomes free essay sample

Meiosis is the second important kind of nuclear division. It resembles mitosis in many ways but the consequences of meiotic divisions are very different from those of mitotic divisions. While mitotic division may occur in almost any living cell of an organism, meiosis occurs only in special cells. In animals, meiosis is restricted to cells that form gametes (eggs and sperm). Each species has a characteristic number of chromosomes per somatic cell. Fruit flies have 8; normal humans have 46. They exist as homologous pairs (partners) that are similar in size and shape and carry the same kinds of genes. Thus humans have 23 homologous pairs. The full complement of 46 chromosomes is referred to as the diploid number (referring to the fact that each kind of chromosome is represented twice). In higher organisms when an egg is fertilized the egg and sperm fuse to form a single cell called a zygote which develops into a new organism. We will write a custom essay sample on Chromosomes or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page If the egg and sperm were both diploid (46 chromosomes each in the case of humans) then the resulting zygote would be tetraploid. This would be an intolerable situation, so a mechanism has evolved to insure that each gamete (egg or sperm) contains only one representative of each homologous pair (or half the diploid number). This is referred to as the haploid number. The mechanism that makes this possible is meiosis. Meiosis consists of two divisions, Meiosis I and Meiosis II, and can potentially result in the production of four cells. However the DNA is only synthesized once (prior to Meiosis I). The subdivisions of meiosis are named like the subdivisions of mitosis (prophase, metaphase, anaphase, telophase) but as we shall see the events are somewhat different. To understand the physical processes involved in meiosis, we will use pipe cleaners as models of chromosomes. The first step will be to determine the types of chromosomes that exist and the genotype and phenotype of the cell. We will then manipulate the chromosomes to stimulate Meiosis I (Prophase I, Metaphase I, Anaphase I, Telophase I and Cytokinesis). At the end of Meiosis I we will determine the genotypes carried by each daughter cell produced. Then we will stimulate Meiosis II (Prophase II, Metaphase II, Anaphase II Telophase II and Cytokinesis). At the end of Meiosis II we will stimulate fertilization by trading gametes with other lab groups and fusing two gamete nuclei to form diploid offspring. After fertilization, we will determine the genotype and phenotype of our new offspring. Each lab group will receive a â€Å"nucleus† (plastic bag) with 8 duplicated chromosomes (pipe cleaners). Each chromosome consists of two identical chromatids. Except for the two sex chromosomes, each chromosome is marked to show the location of certain genes. Since we are stimulating a diploid organism, each nucleus has two homologous chromosomes of each type. A Phenotype is the outward, physical manifestation of the organism. These are the physical parts, the sum of the atoms, molecules, macromolecules, cells, structures, metabolism, energy utilization, tissues, organs, reflexes and behaviors; anything that is part of the observable structure, function or behavior of a living organism. A genotype is the internally coded, inheritable information carried by all living organisms. This stored information is used as a blueprint or set of instructions for building and maintaining a living creature. These instructions are found within almost all cells. They are written in a coded language (the genetic code), they are copied at the time of cell division or reproduction and are passed from one generation to the next (inheritable). These instructions are intimately involved with all aspects of the life of a cell or an organism. Conclusion: The Genotype, carried by all living organisms, holds the critical instructions that are used and interpreted by the cellular machinery of the cells to produce the Phenotype of the organism. Meiosis I. Procedure: We the used a sheet of paper to represent the cell undergoing meiosis. We demonstrated Prophase and Metaphase I by aligning the chromosomes along the equator, homologous beside each other. Then we will demonstrate Anaphase I by separating homologous chromosomes into opposite sides. This is called reduction division because we reduced the number of different chromosomes in each nucleus. We will then demonstrate Telophase I and Cytokinesis by forming two new nuclei and cells. This will determine the Genome of each daughter cell. We then list the traits observed for genome A and genome B: Blood type, Insulin, Eye color, Hair Color, Hair Style, hemoglobin, and sex. After we recorded the results, we compared our daughter cells to those from other lab groups. Hypothesis Mitosis is the process of cell division in eukaryotes, in which the parental chromosome number is conserved in each of the daughter cells, while meiosis is a two-cell-division process in sexually reproducing eukaryotes that results in cells (typically gametes) with one-half the chromosome number of the original parental cell. At the start of prophase I, the chromosomes have already duplicated. During prophase I, they coil and become shorter and thicker and visible under the light microscope. The duplicated homologous chromosomes pair, and crossing-over (the physical exchange of chromosome parts) occurs. Crossing-over is the process that can give rise to genetic recombination. At this point, each homologous chromosome pair is visible as a bivalent (tetrad), a tight grouping of two chromosomes, each consisting of two sister chromatids. The sites of crossing-over are seen as crisscrossed nonsister chromatids and are called chiasma. The nucleolus disappears during prophase I. In the cytoplasm, the meiotic spindle, consisting of microtubules and other proteins, forms between the two pairs of centrioles as they migrate to opposite poles of the cell. The nuclear envelope disappears at the end of prophase I, allowing the spindle to enter the nucleus. Prophase I is the longest phase of meiosis, typically consuming 90% of the time for the two divisions. In Metaphase 1, the centrioles are at opposite poles of the cell. The pairs of homologous chromosomes (the bivalents), now as tightly coiled and condensed as they will be in meiosis, become arranged on a plane equidistant from the poles called the metaphase plate. Spindle fibers from one pole of the cell attach to one chromosome of each pair (seen as sister chromatids), and spindle fibers from the opposite pole attach to the homologous chromosome (again, seen as sister chromatids). Anaphase I begins when the two chromosomes of each bivalent (tetrad) separate and start moving toward opposite poles of the cell as a result of the action of the spindle. In anaphase I the sister chromatids remain attached at their centromeres and move together toward the poles. A key difference between mitosis and meiosis is that sister chromatids remain joined after metaphase in meiosis I, whereas in mitosis they separate. In Telephase 1 the homologous chromosome pairs complete their migration to the two poles as a result of the action of the spindle. Now a haploid set of chromosomes is at each pole, with each chromosome still having two chromatids. A nuclear envelope reforms around each chromosome set, the spindle disappears, and cytokinesis follows. In animal cells, cytokinesis involves the formation of a cleavage furrow, resulting in the pinching of the cell into two cells. After cytokinesis, each of the two progeny cells has a nucleus with a haploid set of replicated chromosomes. Many cells that undergo rapid meiosis do not decondense the chromosomes at the end of telophase I. Conclusion Segregation means that when these alleles go through meiosis to create gametes, they will segregate from one another, and each of the haploid gametes will end up with only one allele. Independent assortment comes into play when you are looking at how the alleles of two genes separate. As long as each gene lies on a different chromosome, then the alleles of these genes will assort themselves independently of one another when the haploid gametes are formed in meiosis. Each haploid gamete can end up with a different combination of alleles of these two genes. Meiosis II. Procedure After a period of metabolic activity (but no DNA duplication), the germ cell enters Meiosis II. We demonstrated Prophase II and Metaphase II for each cell by aligning the chromosomes at the equators of your two new cells. We demonstrated Anaphase II by separating the two sister chromatids and placing them in opposite ends of their cells. Then we demonstrated Telophase II and Cytokinesis by forming new nuclei and cells from each of your daughter cells. Hypothesis Meiosis involves two successive divisions of a diploid eukaryotic cell of a sexually reproducing organism that result in four haploid progeny cells, each with half of the genetic material of the original cell. Through the mechanisms by which paternal and maternal chromosomes segregate, and the process of crossing-over, genetic variation is produced in the haploid cells. In meiosis, one parent cell produces four daughter cells. Results Our group ended up with four haploid gamete cells. Each cell has only 1 copy of each type of chromosome. When comparing our four cells with the other groups four cells we realized that each of the four daughter cells is genetically unique. This uniqueness arises in part from independent assortment of chromosomes in meiosis. Thought independent assortment, each daughter cell randomly receives a maternally or paternally derived homolog from each chromosome pair. Independent assortment can yield 2^23 or 8,388,608 unique ways to arrange 23 pairs of chromosomes. So when comparing our four daughter cells with another groups four daughter cells, independent assortment can yield 2^4 or 16 unique ways to arrange the 8 available pairs chromosomes. Discussion While chromosome duplication took place prior to meiosis I, no new chromosome replication occurs before meiosis II. In Prophase II The centrioles duplicate. This occurs by separation of the two members of the pair, and then the formation of a daughter centriole perpendicular to each original centriole. Then, the two pairs of centrioles separate into two centrosomes. The nuclear envelope breaks down, and the spindle apparatus forms. In Metaphase II, each of the daughter cells completes the formation of a spindle apparatus. The single chromosomes align on the metaphase plate, much as chromosomes do in mitosis. This is in contrast to metaphase I, in which homologous pairs of chromosomes align on the metaphase plate. For each chromosome, the kinetochores of the sister chromatids face the opposite poles, and each is attached to a kinetochore microtubule coming from that pole. Following that, Anaphase II the centromeres separate, and the two chromatids of each chromosome move to opposite poles on the spindle. The separated chromatids are now called chromosomes. Lastly, in Telephase II a nuclear envelope forms around each set of chromosomes. Cytokinesis takes place, producing four daughter cells (gametes, in animals), each with a haploid set of chromosomes. Because of crossing-over, some chromosomes are seen to have recombined segments of the original parental chromosomes. Conclusion One parent cell produces four daughter cells. Daughter cells have half the number of chromosomes found in the original parent cell and with crossing over, are genetically different. Meiosis differs from mitosis primarily because there are two cell divisions in meiosis, resulting in cells with a haploid number of chromosomes. When comparing our two daughter cells to other groups it demonstrates that every diploid cell has two alleles for every gene. Fertilization. Procedure We found a group of the opposite sex and traded 1 gamete cell with them. We united one of the remaining gamete cells we obtained from our â€Å"partner† group. Then we aligned the chromosomes, homologous by homologue and we saw the genetic make-up of our zygote. We then determined the genotype and phenotype of your new â€Å"offspring† using the same characteristics as before. Hypothesis The shuffling of genetic material produces genetically unique gametes, each of which can then fuse with another unique gamete during fertilization to produce a unique zygote of the next generation. Results Trait:Genotype:Phenotype: Blood Type:IA IB AB Insulin:1A 1BNormal Eye Color:BbBrown Hair Color:BbBrown Hair Style:CCCurly Hemoglobin:CCSickle Discussion Traits passed from parents to offspring by gene transmission. Genes are located on chromosomes and consist of DNA. They are passed from parents to their offspring through reproduction. The principles that govern heredity were discovered by Gregor Mendel in the 1860s. One of these principles is now called Mendels law of segregation. At fertilization, the sperm binds to a receptor on the surface of the egg and fuses with the egg plasma membrane, initiating the development of a new diploid organism containing genetic information derived from both parents. Not only does fertilization lead to the mixing of paternal and maternal chromosomes, but it also induces a number of changes in the egg cytoplasm that are critical for further development. These alterations activate the egg, leading to the completion of oocyte meiosis and initiation of the mitotic cell cycles of the early embryo. Following completion of oocyte meiosis, the fertilized egg (now called a zygote) contains two haploid nuclei, one derived from each parent. In mammals, the two pronuclei then enter S phase and replicate their DNA as they migrate toward each other. As they meet, the zygote enters M phase of its first mitotic division. The two nuclear envelopes break down, and the condensed chromosomes of both paternal and maternal origin align on a common spindle. Completion of mitosis then gives rise to two embryonic cells, each containing a new diploid genome. These cells then commence the series of embryonic cell divisions that eventually lead to the development of a new organism. Conclusion When we traded our daughter cells we ended up changing a good bit of the zygote’s genes. This proves the shuffling of genetic material produces genetically unique gametes, can produce a unique zygote even if only one chromosome is different, it can change the entire genetic makeup of the future organism.

Origin Of The Solar System Essays - Planetary Science,

Origin Of The Solar System For more than 300 years there has been serious scientific discussion of the processes and events that led to the formation of the solar system. For most of this time lack of knowledge about the physical conditions in the solar system prevented a rigorous approach to the problem. Explanations were especially sought for the regularity in the directions of rotation and orbit of objects in the solar system, the slow rotation of the Sun, and the Titius-Bode law, which states that the radii of the planetary orbits increase in a regular fashion throughout the solar system. In a similar fashion, the radii of the orbits of the regular satellites of Jupiter, Saturn, and Uranus increase in a regular manner. In modern times the slow rotation of the Sun has been explained as resulting from the deceleration of its angular motion through its magnetic interaction with the outflowing solar wind, so that this feature should not have been considered a constraint on theories of the origin of the solar system. The many theories concerning the origin of the solar system that have been advanced during the last three centuries can be classified as either dualistic or monistic. A common feature of dualistic theories is that another star once passed close to the Sun, and tidal perturbations between the two stars drew out filaments of gas from which the planets condensed. Theories of this type encounter enormous difficulties in trying to account for modern information about the solar system, and they have generally been discarded. By contrast, monistic theories envisage a disk of gas and dust, called the primitive solar nebula, that formed around the Sun. Many of these theories speculate that the Sun and the planets formed together from the primeval solar nebula. A photograph taken in 1984 of a nearby star, Beta Pictoris, appears to show a solar system forming in this way from a disk of surrounding material. The large amount of activity that has taken place in the last 20 years in the renewed exploration of the solar system has also provided a great impetus for renewed studies of the origin of the system. One important component of this research has been the detailed studies of the properties of meteorites that has been made possible by modern laboratory instrumentation. The distribution and abundance of the elements within different meteoritic mineral phases has provided much information on the physical conditions present at the time the solar system began to form. Recent discoveries of anomalies in the isotopic compositions of the elements in certain mineral phases in meteorites promise to give information about the local galactic interstellar environment that led to the formation of the solar system. Investigations of the properties of other planets has led to the new science of comparative planetology, in which the differences observed among the planets not only lead to a better understanding of the planets, but also pose precise new questions concerning the mechanisms by which the planets may have been formed. Studies of the stars within our galaxy have shown that the age of our galaxy is much greater than the age of the solar system. Therefore, processes observed in the formation of stars within our galaxy today are likely to be found relevant to the formation of our solar system. Stars appear to form in groups or associations, as a result of the gravitational collapse of clouds of gas and dust in the interstellar medium. Modern monistic theories envisage the gas and dust in the primitive solar nebula to be the collapsed remnant of a fragment of an interstellar cloud. There has been much discussion of how the planets might have formed from the primeval solar nebula. In recent years attention has focused on the possibility that two types of gravitational instabilities might have played an important role in this process. One type is a gravitational instability in the gas of the primitive solar nebula, from which there would be formed a giant gaseous protoplanet. From the evolution of such protoplanets there could arise, in the outer solar system, the giant planets that are observed today. In the inner solar system, the possibility exists that giant gaseous protoplanets formed rocky cores at their centers, which survived the stripping away of the gaseous envelopes caused by gravitational and thermal forces from the growing Sun. The other form of gravitational instability involves the condensed materials in the solar nebula. Small dust particles that may have been present in the gas of the solar nebula could be expected to settle