Details of these predicted variations have been confirmed by the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) and other experiments, and will be further tested by the Planck satellite, data from which is currently under analysis.

BBC: The observable Universe and beyond

In February, the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (Wmap) satellite took the most detailed picture yet of the cosmic microwave background - an image of the infant cosmos when it was less than 400, 000 years old.

BBC: NEWS | Science/Nature | Dark energy tops science class