The UNIVERSE INFLATION and CONTRACTION: The UNIVERSE is EXPANDING
gradually now. But its initial EXPANSION was almost impossibly rapid as
it likely grew from quantum scale fluctuations in a TRILLIONTH of a
SECOND. In fact, this cosmological scenario, known as INFLATION, is now
reported to be further quantified by an analysis of three (3) years of data
from the WMAP spacecraft. The subtle properties are distilled from
conditions in the early UNIVERSE and related to its first moments of
existence. Schematically, this diagram traces the 13.7-15 BILLION years
-- plus a trillionth of a second -- history of the UNIVERSE from the
quantum scale to the formation of stars, galaxies, planets, and WMAP.
2006 © Credit: WMAP Science Team, NASA
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