Abstract: Despite the tremendous success of the Standard Model (SM) of particle physics with collider experiments, there are numerous theoretical reasons to think this theory needs to be extended. So far, large experimental programmes such as the Large Hadron Collider in CERN did not observe direct evidence of physics beyond the SM, such as new elementary particles. Therefore, most of the field is focusing on high-precision predictions of SM observables, hoping to discover a significant discrepancy with experimental data. The flavour structure of the SM is rather had-hoc and contains a sizeable number of parameters ranging over several orders of magnitude. It is therefore reasonable to think that unknown laws of physics generating this structure will be discovered in a near future. In this colloquium I will present various efforts using lattice QCD simulations to produce more reliable SM predictions in weak decays, particularly involving light quarks flavours.

The colloquium will be followed by a reception in the Common Room.