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Reader question: Please explain “ripple effect” in this sentence – Through its ripple effect, its reach is vast. My comments: In other words, it, whatever “it” is, has far reaching influences – like a ripple that causes waves. The expression “ripple effect” is derived from the observation of ripples. When a pebble, for instance, is dropped in a pond, it causes ripples, small rings of waves that grow larger in diameter as they move further from the center spot, where the pebble is dropped. On a calm day, you’ll be able to see the waves move further and further outward till they reach the end of the pond. In other words, the whole pond, every drop of water in it, is influenced by the splash caused by the dropped pebble. Now, replace the pond with the Pacific Ocean and, theoretically speaking, if you drop a rock in the middle of it, sooner or later the whole ocean will bear its influence, although much of it is not observable by the human eye. Not observable by the human eye and yet we know for certain that the effect is there. You may have heard scientists talk of the butterfly effect, for instance – saying, in effect, that a butterfly flipping a wing in Beijing will somehow lead to, say, a storm in New York a few week’s later. The small wind caused by a butterfly here won’t be the only influence that contributes to stormy weather in New York to be sure, but you get the point. One thing leads to another and before long such and such is happening. | 
