The Inflationary Universe

The Inflationary Universe theory suggests that, shortly after the Big Bang, the universe underwent a brief period of extremely rapid expansion. During this phase, space itself expanded exponentially, making the universe grow much faster than the speed of light. This rapid inflation helped to explain why the universe appears uniform and flat on large scales today. After inflation ended, the universe continued expanding more slowly, leading to the formation of galaxies, stars, and planets. The theory addresses why the universe looks so smooth and balanced, providing insights into its earliest moments.