Inflation

Inflation is a brief but decisive phase of extreme expansion. During this period, space itself grows exponentially, stretching the universe from microscopic to vast in a fraction of a second. This expansion happens everywhere at once, not from a single point.

Tiny quantum fluctuations present during inflation are magnified into large-scale differences in density. These variations become the seeds of galaxies, clusters, and the cosmic web. Inflation smooths the universe overall while embedding the irregularities that later allow structure to form.

When inflation ends, expansion slows, energy redistributes, and the universe enters a phase where particles and forces can stabilise. The large-scale shape of the universe is now set.