Electric dipole moments: a gateway to new physics

The observed baryon asymmetry in the universe cannot be reconciled with the current form of the Standard Model (SM) of particle physics. The amount of CP-violation stemming from the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa matrix is not sufficient to explain the observed matter-antimatter asymmetry. The electric dipole moment (EDM) of the neutron offers a unique opportunity to discover physics beyond the SM (BSM) due to its significantly suppressed CP-violating contribution from the SM. After a brief summary of the current status for experimental searches of a neutron EDM, I introduce the various sources of CP-violation and the computational challenges associated with calculating the corresponding hadronic matrix elements using the lattice as a regulator of QCD. I then describe recent calculations of the nucleon EDM induced by the theta term and recent progress on the calculation of the BSM contributions to the EDM. The numerical and theoretical developments of the last few years are paving the way to a new generation of lattice QCD computation that will provide invaluable information when the next generation of EDM searches will produce their first results.