(From a science quiz that appeared in the weekly magazine The Economist.)Economic history is easier to write than the history of the universe. Nevertheless, most cosmologists now think that when the universe was formed,
A)first there was inflation, which caused the Big Bang, then recession.
B)first there was a Big Bang and then inflation (of space)which caused recession (of all matter, away from the Big Bang).
C)first there was a Big Bang. There has not been any inflation yet, but if it comes it will cause recession.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

This choice accurately reflects the current understanding of cosmologists, who believe that the universe began with a Big Bang and then underwent a period of inflation which caused the rapid expansion of space. As the universe continued to expand, matter began to move away from the original point of the Big Bang, resulting in recession. Option A is incorrect, as inflation is believed to have occurred after the Big Bang, not before it. Option C is also incorrect, as there is evidence of inflation occurring soon after the Big Bang.

(From a Science Quiz That Appeared in the Weekly Magazine