[RightWhale]

This piece of news is getting wide publication, many articles, many threads. No doubt many minds are tripping out on this information if it is new to them. However, it seems to be confirmation of Guth's inflation hypothesis rather than a new model.

[snarks_when_bored]

Oh, yes, I thought my title made that clear. It's inflationary cosmology that's helped by this new WMAP data, but not Guth's version only, as it appears. For now, there's still room for Steinhardt's 'ekpyrotic' ideas and Linde's 'eternal chaotic' ideas.

Guth is said to have been walking around with a big smile on his face for the last day or so. Clearly, he's in line for a Nobel prize in Physics. I wouldn't bet against him.