The absorption lines observed in the spectra of quasars have been used to study the interstellar gas and the clustering of galaxies at distances beyond where they are observable directly, thus leading to important conclusions about the evolution of galaxies and the evolution of the large-scale structure of the Universe in cosmic time. These observations are to be extended in order to study the composition of primordial gas clouds and the early evolution of the compositions of galaxies. A search is to be completed for evidence of weak quasar-like activity in the centers of 501 nearby galaxies. The ultimate aim is to cast light on whether the majority of galaxies were luminous quasars in the remote past and if they contain inactive black holes which are now starved of fuel in the form of infalling stars or interstellar gas.
