Editing Cosmic inflation (section)

{{Short description|Theory of rapid universe expansion}}
{{Redirect2|Inflation model|Inflation theory|a general rise in the price level|Inflation|other uses|Inflation (disambiguation)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}} 
{{Cosmology|early}}
In [[physical cosmology]], '''cosmic inflation''', '''cosmological inflation''', or just '''inflation''', is a theory of exponential [[expansion of the universe|expansion of space]] in the very early [[universe]]. Following the inflationary period, the universe continued to expand, but at a slower rate. The re-acceleration of this slowing expansion due to [[dark energy]] began after the universe was already over 7.7&nbsp;billion years old (5.4&nbsp;billion years ago).<ref>{{cite serial |title=[[How the Universe Works#Season 3|How The Universe Works 3]] |episode=First Second of the Big Bang |network=Discovery Science |year=2014}}</ref>

Inflation theory was developed in the late 1970s and early 1980s, with notable contributions by several [[theoretical physics|theoretical physicists]], including [[Alexei Starobinsky]] at [[Landau Institute for Theoretical Physics]], [[Alan Guth]] at [[Cornell University]], and [[Andrei Linde]] at [[Lebedev Physical Institute]]. Starobinsky, Guth, and Linde won the 2014 [[Kavli Prize]] "for pioneering the theory of cosmic inflation".<ref name=KavliPrize>{{cite web |title=2014 Astrophysics Citation |url=http://www.kavlifoundation.org/2014-astrophysics-citation |website=The Kavli Foundation |access-date=27 July 2014 |archive-date=14 July 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714114045/http://www.kavlifoundation.org/2014-astrophysics-citation }}</ref> It was developed further in the early 1980s. It explains the origin of the [[Observable universe#Large-scale structure|large-scale structure of the cosmos]]. [[Quantum fluctuation]]s in the microscopic inflationary region, magnified to cosmic size, become the seeds for the growth of structure in the Universe (see [[galaxy formation and evolution]] and [[structure formation]]).<ref>Tyson, Neil deGrasse and Donald Goldsmith (2004), ''Origins: Fourteen Billion Years of Cosmic Evolution'', W. W. Norton & Co., pp. 84–85.</ref> Many physicists also believe that inflation explains why the universe appears to be the same in all directions ([[isotropic]]), why the [[cosmic microwave background]] [[radiation]] is distributed evenly, why the universe is [[flat universe|flat]], and why no [[magnetic monopole]]s have been observed.

The detailed [[particle physics]] mechanism responsible for inflation is unknown. A number of inflation model predictions have been confirmed by observation; for example temperature anisotropies observed by the COBE satellite in 1992 exhibit nearly scale-invariant spectra as predicted by the inflationary paradigm and [[WMAP]] results also show strong evidence for inflation.<ref>
{{cite arXiv
 |author=Tsujikawa, Shinji
 |date=28 April 2003
 |title=Introductory review of cosmic inflation
 |eprint=hep-ph/0304257
}}
</ref> However, some scientists dissent from this position.<ref name=Steinhardt2011/><ref name=Earman-Mosterín/><ref name=Hložek/> The hypothetical [[field (physics)|field]] thought to be responsible for inflation is called the [[inflaton]].<ref>{{cite book |author=Guth, Alan H. |author-link=Alan Guth |year=1997a |title=The Inflationary Universe: The quest for a new theory of cosmic origins |publisher=Basic Books |isbn=978-0201328400 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/inflationaryuniv0000guth/page/233 233]–234 |url=https://archive.org/details/inflationaryuniv0000guth |url-access=registration }}</ref>

In 2002, three of the original architects of the theory were recognized for their major contributions; physicists [[Alan Guth]] of [[Massachusetts Institute of Technology|M.I.T.]], Andrei Linde of [[Stanford]], and [[Paul Steinhardt]] of [[Princeton University|Princeton]] shared the [[Dirac Medal (ICTP)|Dirac Prize]] "for development of the concept of inflation in cosmology".<ref name= "Dirac Prize" >{{cite web |title=The Medallists: A list of past Dirac Medallists |website=ictp.it  |url=https://www.ictp.it/about-ictp/prizes-awards/the-dirac-medal/the-medallists.aspx}}</ref> In 2012, Guth and Linde were awarded the [[Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics]] for their invention and development of inflationary cosmology.<ref name= "Breakthrough Prize" >{{cite web |title=Laureates of the Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics in 2012 |website=breakthroughprize.org |publisher=[[Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics]] |url=https://breakthroughprize.org/Laureates/1/P1/Y2012}}</ref>