Can Bose-Einstein condensates simulate cosmic inflation?

Cosmological inflation, first proposed by Alan Guth in 1979, describes a hypothetical period when the early Universe expanded faster than the speed of light. The model, which answers fundamental questions about the formation of the Universe we know today, has become central to modern cosmology, but many details remain uncertain. Now atomic physicists in the US have developed a laboratory analogue by shaking a Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC). The team's initial results suggest that the Universe may have remained quantum coherent throughout inflation and beyond. The researchers hope their condensate model may provide further insights into inflation in a more accessible system, however not everyone agrees on its usefulness.