On new physics at the LHC

Dorigo's summary of Mangano's paper.

Key point:

One should think of two phases for a discovery: establishing the deviation from the S[tandard] M[odel of particle physics], and understanding what this deviation corresponds to. It is crucial to maintain these two phases separate.

There are so many Beyond Standard Model [BSM] theories with so many adjustable parameters that any deviation that the Large Hadron Collider results might exhibit from the Standard Model will almost certainly fit into a BSM. Therefore the knowledge that a deviation fits a BSM carries no information on whether the deviation is real or an experimental artifact.