The Universe began 13.8 billion years ago with the hot Big Bang, leading to rapid expansion and cooling. During the first fraction of a second, fundamental forces formed, and matter began to condense, with processes like nucleosynthesis creating light elements. However, significant structure formation occurred during the subsequent ~380,000 years, despite this period being labeled as 'boring'. It is in this interim that neutral atoms formed, allowing the cosmic microwave background to emerge and providing the basis for cosmic structure, influencing the Universe as we observe it today.
The first few minutes of the Universeâs history are crucial; they set the stage for the formation of matter, forces, and ultimately, the cosmic structure we see today.
Although initially seen as a boring period, the 380,000-year gap after Big Bang nucleosynthesis was foundational, allowing cosmic structures to emerge, shaping our Universe.
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