ICHEP 2014 Summary: Theory Status after the First LHC Run

TL;DR

The paper reviews ICHEP 2014 highlights, confirming the Standard Model's predictions for the scalar boson, while discussing constraints on new physics and emphasizing the need for fresh theoretical ideas.

Contribution

It summarizes experimental confirmations of the Standard Model and discusses the implications of null results for new physics scenarios, highlighting future research directions.

Findings

Scalar boson couples as predicted by the Standard Model

Null results constrain many new-physics models

Standard Model remains a successful theoretical framework

Abstract

A brief overview of the main highlights discussed at ICHEP 2014 is presented. The experimental data confirm that the scalar boson discovered at the LHC couples to other particles as predicted in the Standard Model. This constitutes a great success of the present theoretical paradigm, which has been confirmed as the correct description at the electroweak scale. At the same time, the negative searches for signals of new phenomena tightly constrain many new-physics scenarios, challenging previous theoretical wisdom and opening new perspectives in fundamental physics. Fresh ideas are needed to face the many pending questions unanswered within the Standard Model framework.