The theory of inflation

"It proposes a period of extremely rapid (exponential) expansion of the universe prior to the more gradual Big Bang expansion, during which time the energy density of the universe was dominated by a cosmological constant-type of vacuum energy that later decayed to produce the matter and radiation that fill the universe today. Inflation was both rapid, and strong. It increased the linear size of the universe by more than 60 "e-folds", or a factor of ~10^26 in only a small fraction of a second!"

Theoretical physics has the ability to describe the future and indeed the past using mathematics which is just so cool. Brings back memories of my attempt to dabble in this area (Heriot Watt 1991 optoelectronics). The more I watch, the more my head starts to spin, but strangely the huge numbers used to describe these events are becoming less effective. I've become de-sensitised as I read more and more about the daily turmoil in the financial world. What is a billion, trillion, 101 million (lotto) pounds anymore??. I must be losing it..