Searches for hidden sector particles by the CMS Collaboration in proton-proton collisions recorded at the Large Hadron Collider at a centre-of-mass energy of root s = 13 TeV are outlined. In particular, searches for low-mass dimuon resonances targeting dark photons and for semivisible jets aiming at discovering dark QCD are presented, followed by a recent search for dark Higgs bosons decaying to two W particles. No evidence for hidden sector particles has been found, but limits have been set.

The fascinating story of a major discovery at CERN is outlined. The bold decision to convert its most powerful, and only recently inaugurated, proton accelerator to a proton-antiproton collider led to the discovery of the W and Z bosons -- mediators of the weak interaction -- in a record time, at the experiments UA1 and UA2. The decisive roles of Carlo Rubbia and Simon van der Meer, who received the 1984 Nobel Prize for physics, are underlined.

At the horizon 2050, our physics textbooks will have to be rewritten. The contributions in the first chapter of the EPS Grand Challenges explain why. Will all or many of the open questions be answered at the horizon 2050? There is justified hope, supported by a plethora of theoretical developments and experimental facilities on Earth and in space. Will new questions arise? You bet.

AbstractUsing a data sample of $$\sqrt{s}=13\,\text {TeV}$$ s = 13 TeV proton-proton collisions collected by the CMS experiment at the LHC in 2017 and 2018 with an integrated luminosity of $$103\text {~fb}^{-1}$$ 103 fb - 1 , the $$\text {B}^{0}_{\mathrm{s}} \rightarrow \uppsi (\text {2S})\text {K}_\mathrm{S}^{0}$$ B s 0 → ψ ( 2S ) K S 0 and $$\text {B}^{0} \rightarrow \uppsi (\text {2S})\text {K}_\mathrm{S}^{0} \uppi ^+\uppi ^-$$ B 0 → ψ ( 2S ) K S 0 π + π - decays are observed with significances exceeding 5 standard deviations. The resulting branching fraction ratios, measured for the first time, correspond to $${\mathcal {B}}(\text {B}^{0}_{\mathrm{s}} \rightarrow \uppsi (\text {2S})K_\mathrm{S}^{0})/{\mathcal {B}}(\text {B}^{0}\rightarrow \uppsi (\text {2S})K_\mathrm{S}^{0}) = (3.33 \pm 0.69 (\text {stat})\, \pm 0.11\,(\text {syst}) \pm 0.34\,(f_{\mathrm{s}}/f_{\mathrm{d}})) \times 10^{-2}$$ B ( B s 0 → ψ ( 2S ) K S 0 ) / B ( B 0 → ψ ( 2S ) K S 0 ) = ( 3.33 ± 0.69 ( stat ) ± 0.11 ( syst ) ± 0.34 ( f s / f d ) ) × 10 - 2 and $${\mathcal {B}}(\text {B}^{0} \rightarrow \uppsi (\text {2S})\text {K}_\mathrm{S}^{0} \uppi ^{+} \uppi ^{-})/ {\mathcal {B}}(\text {B}^{0} \rightarrow \uppsi (\text {2S})\text {K}^{0}_{\mathrm{S}}) = 0.480 \pm 0.013\,(\text {stat}) \pm 0.032\,(\text {syst})$$ B ( B 0 → ψ ( 2S ) K S 0 π + π - ) / B ( B 0 → ψ ( 2S ) K S 0 ) = 0.480 ± 0.013 ( stat ) ± 0.032 ( syst ) , where the last uncertainty in the first ratio is related to the uncertainty in the ratio of production cross sections of $$\hbox {B}^{0}_{\mathrm{s}}$$ B s 0 and $$\hbox {B}^{0}$$ B 0 mesons, $$f_{\mathrm{s}}/f_{\mathrm{d}}$$ f s / f d .

The B$^0_s$ and B$^+$ production yields are measured in PbPb collisions at a center-of-mass energy per nucleon pair of 5.02 TeV. The data sample, collected with the CMS detector at the LHC, corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 1.7 nb$^{-1}$. The mesons are reconstructed in the exclusive decay channels B$^0_s$ $\to$ J/$\psi(\mu^+\mu^-)\phi($K$^+$K$^-)$ and B$^+$ $\to$ J/$\psi(\mu^+\mu^-)$K$^+$, in the transverse momentum range 7-50 GeV/c and absolute rapidity 0-2.4. The B$^0_s$ meson is observed with a statistical significance in excess of five standard deviations for the first time in nucleus-nucleus collisions. The measurements are performed as functions of the transverse momentum of the B mesons and of the PbPb collision centrality. The ratio of production yields of B$^0_s$ and B$^+$ is measured and compared to theoretical models that include quark recombination effects.

The second-order Fourier coefficients (v2) characterizing the azimuthal distributions of Image 3 and Image 4 mesons produced in PbPb collisions at sNN=5.02TeV are studied. The Image 5 mesons are reconstructed in their dimuon decay channel, as measured by the CMS detector. The collected data set corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 1.7nb−1. The scalar product method is used to extract the v2 coefficients of the azimuthal distributions. Results are reported for the rapidity range |y|<2.4, in the transverse momentum interval 0

Measurements of differential and double-differential cross sections of top quark pair ($\text{t}\overline{\text{t}}$) production are presented in the lepton+jets channels with a single electron or muon and jets in the final state. The analysis combines for the first time signatures of top quarks with low transverse momentum $p_\text{T}$, where the top quark decay products can be identified as separated jets and isolated leptons, and with high $p_\text{T}$, where the decay products are collimated and overlap. The measurements are based on proton-proton collision data at $\sqrt{s} = $ 13 TeV collected by the CMS experiment at the LHC, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 137 fb$^{-1}$. The cross sections are presented at the parton and particle levels, where the latter minimizes extrapolations based on theoretical assumptions. Most of the measured differential cross sections are well described by standard model predictions with the exception of some double-differential distributions. The inclusive $\text{t}\overline{\text{t}}$ production cross section is measured to be $\sigma_{\text{t}\overline{\text{t}}} = $ 791 $\pm$ 25 pb, which constitutes the most precise measurement in the lepton+jets channel to date.