An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics

Topological irregularities in the → space-time  → continuum, caused
by the abrupt cooling of the → early Universe shortly after the → Big Bang, as predicted by some → cosmological models. These regions of immensely high density might have been the seeds of → structure formation through → gravity. Same as → topological defect.

See also: → cosmic; → defect.