<Table> <Tr> <Th> Epoch </Th> <Th> Time </Th> <Th> Redshift </Th> <Th> Temperature ( Energy ) </Th> <Th> Description </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Planck epoch </Td> <Td> < 10 s </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> > 10 K ( > 10 GeV ) </Td> <Td> The Planck scale is the scale beyond which current physical theories do not have predictive value . The Planck epoch is the time during which physics is assumed to have been dominated by quantum effects of gravity . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Grand unification epoch </Td> <Td> < 10 s </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> ( > 10 GeV ) </Td> <Td> The three forces of the Standard Model are unified ( assuming that nature is described by a Grand unification theory ) . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Inflationary epoch , Electroweak epoch </Td> <Td> < 10 s </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 10 K ... 10 K </Td> <Td> Cosmic inflation expands space by a factor of the order of 10 over a time of the order of 10 to 10 seconds . The universe is supercooled from about 10 down to 10 kelvins . The Strong Nuclear Force becomes distinct from the Electroweak Force . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Quark epoch </Td> <Td> 10 s ... 10 s </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> > 10 K ( 100 MeV ) </Td> <Td> The forces of the Standard Model have separated , but energies are too high for quarks to coalesce into hadrons , instead forming a quark - gluon plasma . These are the highest energies directly observable in experiment in the Large Hadron Collider . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Hadron epoch </Td> <Td> 10 s ... 1 s </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> > 10 K </Td> <Td> Quarks are bound into hadrons . A slight matter - antimatter - asymmetry from the earlier phases ( baryon asymmetry ) results in an elimination of anti-hadrons . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Neutrino decoupling </Td> <Td> 1 s </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 10 K ( 1 MeV ) </Td> <Td> Neutrinos cease interacting with baryonic matter . The spherical volume of space which will become Observable universe is approximately 10 light - years in radius at this time . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Lepton epoch </Td> <Td> 1 s ... 10 s </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 10 K ... 10 K </Td> <Td> Leptons and anti-leptons remain in thermal equilibrium . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Big Bang nucleosynthesis </Td> <Td> 10 s ... 10 s </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 10 K ... 10 K ( 100 keV ... 1 keV ) </Td> <Td> Protons and neutrons are bound into primordial atomic nuclei , hydrogen and helium - 4 . Small amounts of deuterium , helium - 3 , and lithium - 7 are also synthesized . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Photon epoch </Td> <Td> 10 s ... 1.2 × 10 s ( 380 ka ) </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 10 K ... 4000 K </Td> <Td> The universe consists of a plasma of nuclei , electrons and photons ; temperatures remain too high for the binding of electrons to nuclei . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Recombination </Td> <Td> 380 ka </Td> <Td> 1100 </Td> <Td> 4000 K </Td> <Td> Electrons and atomic nuclei first become bound to form neutral atoms . Photons are no longer in thermal equilibrium with matter and the Universe first becomes transparent . Recombination lasts for about 100 ka , during which Universe is becoming more and more transparent to photons . The photons of the cosmic microwave background radiation originate at this time . The spherical volume of space which will become Observable universe is 42 million light - years in radius at this time . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Dark Ages </Td> <Td> 380 ka ... 150 Ma </Td> <Td> 1100 ... 20 </Td> <Td> 4000 K ... 60 K </Td> <Td> The time between recombination and the formation of the first stars . During this time , the only source of photons was hydrogen emitting radio waves at hydrogen line . Freely propagating CMB photons quickly ( within ~ 500 ka ) red - shifted to infrared , and Universe was devoid of visible light . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Reionization </Td> <Td> 150 Ma ... 1 Ga </Td> <Td> 20 ... 6 </Td> <Td> 60 K ... 19 K </Td> <Td> The most distant astronomical objects observable with telescopes date to this period ; as of 2016 , the most remote galaxy observed is GN - z11 , at a redshift of 11.09 . The earliest `` modern '' Population III stars are formed in this period . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Galaxy formation and evolution </Td> <Td> 1 Ga ... 10 Ga </Td> <Td> 6 ... 0.4 </Td> <Td> 19
<Table> <Tr> <Th> Epoch </Th> <Th> Time </Th> <Th> Redshift </Th> <Th> Temperature ( Energy ) </Th> <Th> Description </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Planck epoch </Td> <Td> < 10 s </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> > 10 K ( > 10 GeV ) </Td> <Td> The Planck scale is the scale beyond which current physical theories do not have predictive value . The Planck epoch is the time during which physics is assumed to have been dominated by quantum effects of gravity . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Grand unification epoch </Td> <Td> < 10 s </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> ( > 10 GeV ) </Td> <Td> The three forces of the Standard Model are unified ( assuming that nature is described by a Grand unification theory ) . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Inflationary epoch , Electroweak epoch </Td> <Td> < 10 s </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 10 K ... 10 K </Td> <Td> Cosmic inflation expands space by a factor of the order of 10 over a time of the order of 10 to 10 seconds . The universe is supercooled from about 10 down to 10 kelvins . The Strong Nuclear Force becomes distinct from the Electroweak Force . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Quark epoch </Td> <Td> 10 s ... 10 s </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> > 10 K ( 100 MeV ) </Td> <Td> The forces of the Standard Model have separated , but energies are too high for quarks to coalesce into hadrons , instead forming a quark - gluon plasma . These are the highest energies directly observable in experiment in the Large Hadron Collider . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Hadron epoch </Td> <Td> 10 s ... 1 s </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> > 10 K </Td> <Td> Quarks are bound into hadrons . A slight matter - antimatter - asymmetry from the earlier phases ( baryon asymmetry ) results in an elimination of anti-hadrons . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Neutrino decoupling </Td> <Td> 1 s </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 10 K ( 1 MeV ) </Td> <Td> Neutrinos cease interacting with baryonic matter . The spherical volume of space which will become Observable universe is approximately 10 light - years in radius at this time . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Lepton epoch </Td> <Td> 1 s ... 10 s </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 10 K ... 10 K </Td> <Td> Leptons and anti-leptons remain in thermal equilibrium . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Big Bang nucleosynthesis </Td> <Td> 10 s ... 10 s </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 10 K ... 10 K ( 100 keV ... 1 keV ) </Td> <Td> Protons and neutrons are bound into primordial atomic nuclei , hydrogen and helium - 4 . Small amounts of deuterium , helium - 3 , and lithium - 7 are also synthesized . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Photon epoch </Td> <Td> 10 s ... 1.2 × 10 s ( 380 ka ) </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 10 K ... 4000 K </Td> <Td> The universe consists of a plasma of nuclei , electrons and photons ; temperatures remain too high for the binding of electrons to nuclei . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Recombination </Td> <Td> 380 ka </Td> <Td> 1100 </Td> <Td> 4000 K </Td> <Td> Electrons and atomic nuclei first become bound to form neutral atoms . Photons are no longer in thermal equilibrium with matter and the Universe first becomes transparent . Recombination lasts for about 100 ka , during which Universe is becoming more and more transparent to photons . The photons of the cosmic microwave background radiation originate at this time . The spherical volume of space which will become Observable universe is 42 million light - years in radius at this time . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Dark Ages </Td> <Td> 380 ka ... 150 Ma </Td> <Td> 1100 ... 20 </Td> <Td> 4000 K ... 60 K </Td> <Td> The time between recombination and the formation of the first stars . During this time , the only source of photons was hydrogen emitting radio waves at hydrogen line . Freely propagating CMB photons quickly ( within ~ 500 ka ) red - shifted to infrared , and Universe was devoid of visible light . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Reionization </Td> <Td> 150 Ma ... 1 Ga </Td> <Td> 20 ... 6 </Td> <Td> 60 K ... 19 K </Td> <Td> The most distant astronomical objects observable with telescopes date to this period ; as of 2016 , the most remote galaxy observed is GN - z11 , at a redshift of 11.09 . The earliest `` modern '' Population III stars are formed in this period . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Galaxy formation and evolution </Td> <Td> 1 Ga ... 10 Ga </Td> <Td> 6 ... 0.4 </Td> <Td> 19
in the big bang which particles formed first
in the big bang which particles formed first
a quark - gluon plasma
a quark - gluon plasma