Pictures: European Space Agency,NASA, AFP/Getty Images© GRAPHIC NEWS

Observations of Cosmic MicrowaveBackground (CMB) radiation – theafterglow of the Big Bang itself –reveal that the newborn universeinflated a trillion trillion trillion timeswithin the blink of an eye.The European Space Agency’sPlank space telescope alsoshows there is less of theperplexing dark energy andmore dark matter in the universethan previously known

Oldest light: Universe is about80 million years older thanpreviously thought

Big Bang: In a searing fireballwith temperature of 1032 degreesKelvin, or 100,000 billion billionbillion degrees, universe expandsfaster than speed of light

One second later: Temperature falls to 10 billiondegrees. Atomic nuclei form

100 seconds later:Temperature falls to 1 billiondegrees. Fundamental particlesand radiation are linked together

380,000 years after Big Bang:Temperature falls to 3,000 degrees.Atoms of hydrogen formed.Radiation and matter travelfreely for first time – CMBradiation is released, preservingrecord back to this time

Dark Ages: Stars have notyet been born – there is no otherlight except CMB afterglow

200 million yearsafter Big Bang: Firststars and galaxiesform

Nine billion yearsafter Big Bang: OurSun is formed fromcollapse of cloudof gas and dust inthe Milky Waygalaxy. 500 millionyears later Earthis formed fromleftovers

Today: 13.82billion years afterBig Bang

Structure of the universe

Ordinarymatter

Dark matter Dark matter

Dark energy Dark energy

4.9%

26.8%

68.3%

22.7%

4.5%

72.8%

BeforePlank

mission

AfterPlank

mission

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