How did muckrakers pave the way for reforms?

During the Progressive Era of the 1890s through the 1920s investigative journalists were called muckrakers. They worked for magazines and most of the time saw their duty to shine a bright light on corruption and abuse. They valued informing the wider population a lot and believed that only an informed population can make a democracy good.

studies show tha in 7.5 billion years from now, the expanding sun will engulf, and destroy, the earth.

uncle sam would be tossing and turning in his grave : *)