The TH division hosted a workshop on “Questioning Fundamental Physical Principles” on 6-9 May

The discovery of the Higgs Boson at the LHC marks the apotheosis of quantum field theory. However, there is no sign of standard Beyond Standard Model physics and many physicists wonder whether the Higgs is all there is. In addition, the standard theoretical framework is beset by paradoxes, such as black-hole physics, the problems of measurement and decoherence in quantum theory. The above observations led some theorists to question the fundamental principles of Lorentz-invariance, the equivalence principle and locality, with possible consequences for CPT Violation and other matter-antimatter differences. The latter could be probed in experiments at CERN and elsewhere, as well as have implications for Early-Universe Cosmology. During the four days of the workshop, theorists and experimentalists came together to explore these issues and discuss recent results and ideas for future experimental testing.

The workshop hosted a variety of interesting theoretical and experimental talks, covering the state of the art of the above topics. The theoretical talks ranged from works on discrete symmetries, including tests of time reversal and CPT in entangled meson states, and early universe physics, such as inflation and the origin of matter in the Universe (Leptogenesis, Baryongenesis), including unconventional mechanisms based on background-induced Lorentz and CPT Violation, to neutrinos and new formalisms for flavour physics at finite temperature, as well as issues of causality of quantum field theories in gravitational backgrounds. On the experimental side there have been, among other, overview talks of the physics results and the future perspectives of the CMS, ATLAS, LHCb experiments. A new LHC experiment, MoEDAL presented its plans for complementary searches for magnetic monopoles and other exotic highly ionizing particles. Finally, recent findings from the BaBar experiment were discussed during the workshop.

Participants of the QFPP workshop that was held at CERN from 6 to 9 May 2014. 

A number of talks were also dedicated to CERN non-LHC experiments, probing properties of antimatter and comparing them with those of matter: AEgIS, ASACUSA, ALPHA, ATENA and ELENA. In addition to particle physics, the workshop also hosted a number of interesting talks (both experimental and theoretical) on testing the foundations of quantum physics, including tests of Pauli’s exclusion principle with the VIP experiment. There were also presentations on particle physics methods that can be used to test the foundations of quantum theory; for instance in the Phi factory at DafNE (Frascati), that this year celebrates its 50^th anniversary, one could test the Bell inequalities by using neutral Kaon systems.

The workshop closed with an interview of Jack Steinberger on the occasion of “50 years of CP Violation” that was established in the neutral Kaon system. Back in 1965, Jack Steinberger, while on a sabbatical at CERN, and Carlo Rubbia performed an experiment that demonstrated the expected interference effect. They precisely measured the difference in mass of the short-lived and long-lived neutral Kaon masses. In his interview, Steinberger referred to the facts that lead to the discovery of the CP violation, stressed the importance of checking fundamental principles of quantum physics and discussed the most important questions raised by CP violation.

Jack Steinberger discussing the “50 years of CP Violation” during the closing session of QFPP2014. 

The workshop was organized by Catalina Curceanu (National Laboratories Frascati), Antonio Di Domenico (University of Roma Sapienza), John Ellis (King's College London & CERN), Beatrix Hiesmayr (University of Vienna), Johann Marton (Academy of Sciences, Vienna), Nick E. Mavromatos (King's College London & CERN) - Chair  and Sarben Sarkar (King's College London).

The workshop was funded partially by the CERN Theory Division, by the ERC Advanced Investigator Grant of John Ellis (267352), and by the COST Action MP1006 "Fundamental Problems in Quantum Physics".