the distance between the Milky Way and these other galaxies.  Because the galaxies are so far away, these extremely old galaxies appear to have young stars, so essentially, when astronomers are observing the universe, they are looking back in time.  So when astronomers see galaxies that were born 500-700 million years after the Big Bang with old, red-glowing stars, they wonder how the existence of these massive galaxies is possible for the time.  Simply, the unexpected findings of these galaxies lead to an entirely new chapter of astronomy and cosmology while simultaneously countering the most credible theories of today. 

So how do these findings impact the future?  First off, almost all of the world’s cosmology books (cosmology is the science of theorizing about the origin of the universe and its development) have to be revised/rewritten.  But before this, astronomers must confirm that what they are looking at is actually six new galaxies.  If they aren’t new galaxies, it wouldn’t be any better in assisting astronomers in their understanding of the universe; any other explanation other than galaxies would be something that has never been observed before, opening an entirely new side of astronomy.  Nonetheless, the new galaxies pose a threat to modern cosmology and astronomy as we know it, with Ivo Labbé, the leading journalist for the study, stating that the James Webb Telescope “just discovered the impossible.”  The main theory facing opposition is that galaxies start off as small dust clouds, slowly forming into giant galaxies.  To revise this statement, many factors are considered, but the two leading theories for these new discoveries consist of the universe not starting when astronomers last thought it did, which was about 13.8 billion years ago, or that galaxies can start as huge entities instead of gradually becoming one over a long period of time.  Overall, astronomers are now working tirelessly to figure out just how the existence of these galaxies is even possible, as well as how these findings will forever impact the future of astronomy and cosmology.  

All in all, even though the findings seem to be detrimental for astronomers around the world, the galaxies actually permit astronomers the ability to revise astronomy and cosmology, opening a new window of research, which will empower the human understanding of the universe and its creation.  And with this, human knowledge of the universe will take another “giant leap” into the depths of the universe.

Adam Fitzmartin

An Irishman’s Wake 

On March 9th, the wake and funeral of “Irish Mike” Mahon were hosted at Cecilia’s Parish in Fox Chase between the hours of 9 am and 12 pm. The whole service showed the enigmatic life of a respected and rambunctious individual that seemed to be able to talk to everyone he came across. He was part of that sprinkler fitter lifestyle, even becoming somewhat of a legend within the 692 Sprinkler Fitters Union. While the funeral was going on, people that were spilling in to say their respects were telling everyone that there must have been 30 to 35 vans from all types of different Sprinkler Fitters Union parked outside, some just dropping what they were doing to pay their respects to Irish Mike. 

Though his union was there to pay their respects, his friends and family were up at the center pews of the church sending a good man off to the other side. To me, he was my Uncle who lived across the street with my aunt. He was a wise and complex man that was short in stature and wore his heritage like a badge. Both his parents passed away by the time he was 20, so when he married into the family a couple of years before I was born, we became a second family to him. 

When it was time for the eulogy to be said, his older brother was the one reading and painted us a picture of his life. The one thing I got from it was though he was a great individual, he wasn’t always a saint in his life. He had his demons since his teenage years, which followed him into his adulthood. But it got to a certain point where he didn’t want this for his life, and what it made him become while doing these things. So he got sober and met the love of his life 2 years later. Even though it took him as long as it did to become a well-rounded individual, he got there nonetheless and spent 27 years in happiness until Cancer knocked on his door. 

After the funeral came to an end, my aunt grabbed the container of my uncle’s ashes and walked us down the main aisle as we all followed her out. My uncle has a lot of old-time views on life, making it come across as somewhat poetic. He wanted his ashes to be spread in three separate places. First, he wanted his ashes to be on the 12th street beach at the Wildwood Shore to show his love for spending time with family there. Second, he wanted his ashes to be brought out into the ocean, dropping them into the water to show the love he had for the time he swam on the beach or while fishing with his in-laws. And lastly, he had his ashes taken over to Ireland so ashes can be all over the hills of his ancestors. All being a representation of what made him happy throughout his life and the good life he made out of the wreckage of what it was for a while. 

The lunch-in hosted after the funeral, memorialized and represented him through all the pictures that were on display, and the many people there were touched by Irish Mike. The pictures, dating back to when he was a baby till a week before he died, painted a much greater picture of him. Complemented by the great food that was served at the union hall, I walked around to immerse myself into the greatly lived life of the man I looked up to. When I got done looking at all the photos, finishing an emotional roller coaster of nostalgia, everyone was asked to make their way back to their seats to make a toast. On the table were plastic shot glasses and two cans of Mtn. Dew, his favorite drink (he was known for drinking 2 big bottles a day). As his older sister reads off her words of memoriam, we all raise our shot glasses and wash them down. That was the real moment I realized he was gone for good because he was the only reason I started drinking Mtn. Dew to begin with. Thank you Uncle Mike for being a part of my life. Rest easy. 

Sean Musial

Fusion Gym Review

On February 22nd, Fusion Gym opened its doors in Oxford Valley under the ownership of Tony Chowdurry, who has an inspiring story of going from -$56,000 to a millionaire gym owner. Fusion Gym has two locations in Philadelphia, one on Grant Ave with an outdoor gym and the other in Oxford, the more recent one, which spans 70,000 sq ft. Despite being the hot topic in the fitness industry, is it worth the hype?

I had the opportunity to attend the open house on the grand opening day, but due to the overwhelming number of attendees, I arrived at a later time. Over 5000 people attended the grand opening, but only 700 people were allowed inside at that time. Security and staff had to regulate the entry of people because some individuals were getting too extreme and confrontational, particularly TikTok influencers such as Alex Eubank, Haddy, Matt Greggo, Andrew Ferguson, and Danny Swole. Unfortunately, half of the attendees didn't get in, including those who traveled from Michigan and California.

Regarding the gym itself, the equipment is unique and of reasonable quality, although some machines are already showing signs of wear and tear. Tony owns the gym equipment under his brand, but it's not the highest quality. However, the gym has a boxing ring, octagon, indoor football field, basketball court, food court, editorial lounge, and even a barbershop. The monthly membership cost is currently $70, but some individuals pay $30-$40 because they were members before Fusion became popular, known as the legacy membership.

In conclusion, I believe that Fusion Gym is an excellent place to socialize and make content, especially for those who create videos. However, I do not consider it the best gym to work out and stay focused because it's easy to get distracted. The price of the membership is also likely to increase soon.

Nate O'Hare

Father Judge Annual Wing-Bowl

One of the most exciting Father Judge traditions took place this month: the annual Wing Bowl. The event happened on Friday, March 17th as a culmination of events that occurred on St. Patrick’s Day. Any student interested in participating in the contest submitted their name to be randomly selected by Mr. Loughlin. Each grade had at least one student compete in the wing-eating contest. The teacher contestants were everything we could ask for: Mr. D’Ambrosio, Mr. Poole, and the reigning champion Mr. Smith. A lot of anticipation and excitement was in the atmosphere as the contest drew near. There were 2 rounds overall: the first was a qualifier for the final round, which included the top teacher and top 2 students. As expected, Mr. Smith advanced easily with upwards of 20 wings eaten in 4 minutes. The final round featured an unimpressed Mr. Smith leading the way and an unassuming Joe Conte, the Senior president, standing a chance. The 2 had annihilated wing after wing as the 4-minute clock winded down. After the buzzer sounded, there was a surprise as Mr. Smith and Joe were locked in a tie. As a result, the two faced off in a timeless rock-paper-scissors duel that revealed Senior Joe Conte as the winner in the 3rd deciding game. Overall, it was the perfect culmination to a Friday that saw the long-reigning king dethroned and an exciting St. Patrick’s Day weekend was on the horizon. 

Peter Gerace