Real radiation at NNLO : e + e − → 2 jets through O ( α 2 s )

High-energy physics will begin to explore a new energy frontier when the Large Hadron Collider at CERN turns on in 2007. Our understanding of physics at very small distances will dramatically improve. However, a detailed investigation of the new physics we discover will require a careful study of Standard Model backgrounds, detector responses, and other similar issues. Since many layers separate interesting physics from raw experimental data, a dedicated effort is required to fully utilize LHC results. There have been significant advances towards this goal in the past few years; we now have an increased understanding of parton distribution functions and jet algorithms, improved Monte Carlo event generators, methods for automating next-to-leading order calculations with large number of external legs and, finally, new technology for next-to-next-to-leading order (NNLO) computations.