  Since the standard inflationary paradigm is based on quantum field theory on
classical space-times, it excludes the Planck era. Using techniques from loop
quantum gravity, the paradigm is extended to a self-consistent theory from the
Planck scale to the onset of slow roll inflation, covering some 11 orders of
magnitude in energy density and curvature. This pre-inflationary dynamics also
opens a small window for novel effects, e.g. a source for non-Gaussianities,
which could extend the reach of cosmological observations to the deep Planck
regime of the early universe.
