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DIFT Colloquium: Paolo Dini

El próximo jueves 15 de octubre de 2026, a las 15:30, el ciclo DIFT Colloquium contará con la participación de Paolo Dini , investigador del Centre Tecnològic de Telecomunicacions de Catalunya (CTTC) y coordinador de la unidad de investigación Sustainable Artificial Intelligence (SAI).

Impartirá el coloquio titulado “Can AI Save or Destroy the Planet? The Sustainability Challenge Behind Artificial Intelligence” en el Auditorio del CFTMAT.

La charla analizará el doble papel de la inteligencia artificial en el ámbito de la sostenibilidad: por un lado, como una poderosa herramienta para afrontar retos ambientales y sociales y, por otro, como una tecnología cuyo rápido crecimiento plantea importantes desafíos en términos de consumo energético, infraestructuras y uso de recursos.

También se abordarán las posibles estrategias para reducir la huella ambiental de los sistemas de inteligencia artificial y el papel que pueden desempeñar la investigación, la industria y las políticas públicas en el desarrollo de una IA verdaderamente sostenible.

Tras el coloquio tendrá lugar el tradicional coffee, que ofrecerá la oportunidad de continuar el intercambio científico de manera informal.

Abstract

Artificial Intelligence is increasingly being presented as a powerful enabler of sustainability. From climate change mitigation and renewable energy integration to environmental monitoring, waste management, water conservation, disaster response, and pollution control, AI offers unprecedented opportunities to support more sustainable and resilient societies. However, the rapid expansion of AI also raises critical questions. What are the environmental implications of having virtually unlimited computational power at our disposal? What is the real impact of AI on energy production and consumption? Can the benefits of AI outweigh the growing demand for data centers, computing infrastructure, and digital resources? And what technological and organizational foundations are needed to ensure that AI itself remains sustainable?

This talk will explore the dual role of AI as both a tool for sustainability, and a source of environmental and societal challenges. It will examine the energy, infrastructure, and resource requirements behind modern AI systems, discuss emerging approaches for reducing their environmental footprint, and reflect on how research, industry, and policy can contribute to the development of truly sustainable AI.

DIFT Colloquium: Paolo Dini

On Thursday, October 15, 2026, at 3:30 p.m., the DIFT Colloquium series will host Paolo Dini , researcher at the Centre Tecnològic de Telecomunicacions de Catalunya (CTTC) and coordinator of the Sustainable Artificial Intelligence (SAI) research unit.

He will deliver a talk entitled “Can AI Save or Destroy the Planet? The Sustainability Challenge Behind Artificial Intelligence” in the CFTMAT Auditorium.

The talk will explore the dual role of Artificial Intelligence in sustainability: as a powerful tool for addressing environmental and societal challenges, but also as a rapidly expanding technology with significant implications for energy consumption, infrastructure and resource use.

It will also discuss emerging approaches to reducing the environmental footprint of AI systems and consider how research, industry and policy can contribute to the development of truly sustainable AI.

The colloquium will be followed by the traditional coffee, providing an opportunity to continue the scientific discussion in an informal setting.

Abstract

Artificial Intelligence is increasingly being presented as a powerful enabler of sustainability. From climate change mitigation and renewable energy integration to environmental monitoring, waste management, water conservation, disaster response, and pollution control, AI offers unprecedented opportunities to support more sustainable and resilient societies. However, the rapid expansion of AI also raises critical questions. What are the environmental implications of having virtually unlimited computational power at our disposal? What is the real impact of AI on energy production and consumption? Can the benefits of AI outweigh the growing demand for data centers, computing infrastructure, and digital resources? And what technological and organizational foundations are needed to ensure that AI itself remains sustainable?

This talk will explore the dual role of AI as both a tool for sustainability, and a source of environmental and societal challenges. It will examine the energy, infrastructure, and resource requirements behind modern AI systems, discuss emerging approaches for reducing their environmental footprint, and reflect on how research, industry, and policy can contribute to the development of truly sustainable AI.

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DIFT Colloquium: Izaskun Jiménez-Serra

El próximo 8 de octubre de 2026, a las 15:30, el ciclo DIFT Colloquium contará con la participación de Izaskun Jiménez-Serra, quien impartirá el coloquio titulado “Towards prebiotic chemistry in the interstellar medium” en el Auditorio del CFTMAT.

Tras el coloquio tendrá lugar el tradicional coffee, que ofrecerá la oportunidad de continuar el intercambio científico de manera informal.

Resumen

In the past decade, Astrochemistry has witnessed an impressive increase in the number of detections of new molecular species in space. The majority of these detections are related to complex organic molecules (or COMs), defined as carbon-based compounds with more than five atoms in their molecular structure.

Interestingly, some of these complex organics are of prebiotic interest and, hence, they are believed to be involved in the first biochemical processes that led to life.

Recently, we have obtained ultra-sensitive, broadband spectral surveys toward the G+0.693 molecular cloud, located in the Galactic Center and known to be one of the richest chemical repositories of the Milky Way.

Our spectral surveys, carried out with the Yebes 40m and IRAM 30m telescopes, have allowed us to detect nearly 30 new molecular species, which include precursors of ribonucleotides, nucleobases, amino acids, sugars, proto-proteins and proto-lipids, as proposed in theories of the origin of life.

In this talk, I will present all these findings and analyze how chemical complexity builds up in the interstellar medium, not only in the extreme environment of the Galactic Center, but also during the initial conditions of Solar-system formation.

DIFT Colloquium: Izaskun Jiménez-Serra

On October 8, 2026, at 3:30 p.m., the DIFT Colloquium series will host Izaskun Jiménez-Serra, who will deliver a talk entitled “Towards prebiotic chemistry in the interstellar medium” in the CFTMAT Auditorium.

The colloquium will be followed by the traditional coffee, providing an opportunity to continue the scientific discussion in an informal setting.

Abstract

In the past decade, Astrochemistry has witnessed an impressive increase in the number of detections of new molecular species in space. The majority of these detections are related to complex organic molecules (or COMs), defined as carbon-based compounds with more than five atoms in their molecular structure.

Interestingly, some of these complex organics are of prebiotic interest and, hence, they are believed to be involved in the first biochemical processes that led to life.

Recently, we have obtained ultra-sensitive, broadband spectral surveys toward the G+0.693 molecular cloud, located in the Galactic Center and known to be one of the richest chemical repositories of the Milky Way.

Our spectral surveys, carried out with the Yebes 40m and IRAM 30m telescopes, have allowed us to detect nearly 30 new molecular species, which include precursors of ribonucleotides, nucleobases, amino acids, sugars, proto-proteins and proto-lipids, as proposed in theories of the origin of life.

In this talk, I will present all these findings and analyze how chemical complexity builds up in the interstellar medium, not only in the extreme environment of the Galactic Center, but also during the initial conditions of Solar-system formation.

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Próximo DIFT Colloquium: Benjamin Grinstein

Nos complace anunciar una nueva sesión del ciclo DIFT Colloquia, que contará con la participación de Benjamin Grinstein (University of California, San Diego).

La charla tendrá lugar el miércoles 13 de mayo de 2026, a las 15:30, en el Auditorio del CFTMAT. Tras la sesión, compartiremos un coffee en el que tendremos la oportunidad de continuar la conversación, intercambiar ideas e interactuar con el ponente en un ambiente más distendido.

El título del coloquio es Buckets versus pipes: the neutron lifetime puzzle.

El abstract del coloquio es el siguiente:

🔹 Estáis todos invitados a asistir y a participar en la discusión posterior durante el coffee.

Next DIFT Colloquium: Benjamin Grinstein

We are pleased to announce a new session of the DIFT Colloquia series featuring Benjamin Grinstein from the University of California, San Diego.

The talk will take place on Wednesday, 13 May 2026, at 15:30, in the CFTMAT Auditorium. After the talk, we will have a coffee gathering, offering participants the opportunity to continue the discussion, exchange ideas and interact with the speaker in a more informal setting.

The colloquium is entitled Buckets versus pipes: the neutron lifetime puzzle.

The abstract of the colloquium is as follows:

Benjamin Grinstein
Distinguished Professor of Physics
UCSD

🔹 Everyone is warmly invited to attend the talk and join the discussion afterwards during the coffee.

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Próximo DIFT Colloquium: David Weinberg

Nos complace anunciar una nueva sesión del ciclo DIFT Colloquia, que contará con la participación de David Weinberg (Ohio State University).

La charla tendrá lugar en el Auditorio del IFT a las 15:30. Tras la sesión, compartiremos un coffee en el que tendremos la oportunidad de continuar la conversación, intercambiar ideas e interactuar con el ponente en un ambiente más distendido.

El título del coloquio es The Mystery of Cosmic Acceleration.

El abstract del coloquio es el siguiente:

Cosmic acceleration is one of the most surprising cosmological discoveries of the past century. Even the «simplest» explanations require new, cosmologically dominant energy components with exotic physical properties. Current and near-future experiments are seeking clues to the origin of cosmic acceleration by measuring the history of expansion and structure growth with sub-percent precision over a wide span of redshift. I will review the observational methods that underpin these measurements and assess the current state of play, with particular attention to recent measurements from the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) which suggest that the properties of dark energy are evolving at a startling rate. I will discuss the prospects and challenges for the new generation of experiments — DESI, the Euclid mission, the Vera Rubin Observatory, and the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope — which aim to sharpen cosmological measurements by a factor of ten.

🔹 Estáis todos invitados a asistir y a participar en la discusión posterior durante el coffee.

Next DIFT Colloquium: David Weinberg

We are pleased to announce a new session of the DIFT Colloquia series featuring David Weinberg from The Ohio State University.

The talk will take place at 15:30 in the IFT Auditorium. After the talk, we will have a coffee gathering where participants will have the opportunity to continue the discussion and interact with the speaker in an informal setting.

The colloquium is entitled The Mystery of Cosmic Acceleration.

The abstract of the colloquium is the following:

Cosmic acceleration is one of the most surprising cosmological discoveries of the past century. Even the «simplest» explanations require new, cosmologically dominant energy components with exotic physical properties. Current and near-future experiments are seeking clues to the origin of cosmic acceleration by measuring the history of expansion and structure growth with sub-percent precision over a wide span of redshift. I will review the observational methods that underpin these measurements and assess the current state of play, with particular attention to recent measurements from the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) which suggest that the properties of dark energy are evolving at a startling rate. I will discuss the prospects and challenges for the new generation of experiments — DESI, the Euclid mission, the Vera Rubin Observatory, and the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope — which aim to sharpen cosmological measurements by a factor of ten.

Everyone is warmly invited to attend the talk and join the discussion afterwards during the coffee.

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DIFT Colloquium: Cumrun Vafa

El pasado miércoles 6 de noviembre de 2025, celebramos una nueva sesión del ciclo DIFT Colloquia 2025 en el Aula Polivalente de Plaza Mayor (UAM), que contó con una gran asistencia y un ambiente muy participativo.

En esta ocasión tuvimos el honor de recibir a Cumrun Vafa, profesor de Física Teórica en la Universidad de Harvard, ampliamente reconocido por sus contribuciones fundamentales al desarrollo de la teoría de cuerdas y al estudio de la estructura profunda del espacio-tiempo.

Durante su charla, presentó diversas ideas y perspectivas sobre la conexión entre geometría, gravedad cuántica y teoría de cuerdas, temas centrales en la investigación actual en física teórica. La sesión dio lugar a una animada discusión con el público y fue, sin duda, un encuentro muy enriquecedor para toda la comunidad.

DIFT Colloquium: Cumrun Vafa

On Wednesday, November 6, 2025, we held a new session of the DIFT Colloquia 2025 series at the Multipurpose Hall, Plaza Mayor (UAM), with an excellent turnout and a highly engaging atmosphere.

We were honored to host Cumrun Vafa, Professor of Theoretical Physics at Harvard University, widely known for his fundamental contributions to string theory and to our understanding of the deep structure of space-time.

In his talk, he shared several perspectives on the interplay between geometry, quantum gravity, and string theory—topics at the forefront of current research in theoretical physics. The session sparked lively discussion with the audience and proved to be an inspiring event for the community.

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Coloquio DIFT: Álvaro De Rújula

El pasado jueves 16 de octubre, el Instituto de Física Teórica (IFT) y el Departamento de Física Teórica de la Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM) celebraron una nueva edición de los Coloquios DIFT en el Aula Polivalente de la Plaza Mayor, de 15:30 a 17:00.

La conferencia, titulada “Gamma-Ray Bursts, Cosmic Rays and the Sociology of Science”, fue impartida por Álvaro De Rújula, reconocido físico del IFT y del CERN, quien ofreció una charla tan provocadora como rigurosa.

Durante su intervención, De Rújula presentó su interpretación basada en el modelo de las “Cannonballs” (CBs) —esferas de plasma altamente relativistas emitidas por cuásares, microcuásares y supernovas de colapso del núcleo—, proponiendo así una explicación alternativa a la visión convencional de estos fenómenos astrofísicos. Más allá de los aspectos puramente científicos, el ponente dedicó también parte de su charla a reflexionar sobre la sociología de la ciencia, subrayando los retos que enfrentan las teorías no ortodoxas para ser reconocidas dentro de la comunidad académica.

La sesión contó con una gran acogida, con más de 100 personas presentes en la sala y otro centenar siguiendo la retransmisión en directo. Este interés refleja no solo el creciente entusiasmo que despiertan los Coloquios DIFT entre la comunidad universitaria y científica, sino también la admiración por el trabajo de Álvaro De Rújula, a quien agradecemos profundamente su dedicación y su pasión por transmitir la ciencia.

DIFT Colloquium: Álvaro De Rújula

On Thursday, October 16, the Institute for Theoretical Physics (IFT) and the Department of Theoretical Physics of the Autonomous University of Madrid (UAM) held a new edition of the DIFT Colloquia in the Multipurpose Hall at Plaza Mayor, from 15:30 to 17:00.

The talk, entitled “Gamma-Ray Bursts, Cosmic Rays and the Sociology of Science”, was delivered by Álvaro De Rújula, a distinguished physicist at the IFT and the CERN, who offered a presentation that was as thought-provoking as it was rigorous.

During his lecture, De Rújula presented his interpretation based on the “Cannonballs” (CBs) model —highly relativistic plasma spheres emitted by quasars, microquasars and core-collapse supernovae— offering an alternative explanation to the conventional view of these astrophysical phenomena. Beyond the scientific aspects, he also reflected on the sociology of science, highlighting the challenges that non-orthodox theories face to gain acceptance within the academic community.

The session was widely attended, with more than 100 participants on site and about as many following the live broadcast. This strong turnout reflects not only the growing enthusiasm that the DIFT Colloquia inspire within the academic and research community, but also the great interest in the work of Álvaro De Rújula, to whom we express our sincere gratitude for his dedication and passion in sharing science.

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Lisa Randall abre el ciclo DIFT Colloquia 2025

El pasado 7 de mayo de 2025, el Aula Polivalente de la Universidad Autónoma de Madrid acogió la sesión inaugural del nuevo ciclo DIFT Colloquia, una iniciativa conjunta del Departamento de Física Teórica (DIFT) y el Instituto de Física Teórica (IFT) destinada a compartir conocimiento y fortalecer los lazos dentro de la comunidad científica.

La invitada de honor fue Lisa Randall, profesora de Física Teórica en la Universidad de Harvard y una de las científicas más destacadas en el estudio de las dimensiones extra del espacio-tiempo. En su conferencia, titulada “25 Years of Warped Geometry”, ofreció una panorámica sobre los modelos de geometría deformada en cinco dimensiones, desarrollados junto a Raman Sundrum y Andreas Karch, explicando su impacto en la física de partículas, la cosmología, la teoría de cuerdas y la relatividad general.

La charla reunió a más de un centenar de asistentes, entre estudiantes, investigadores e investigadoras, que llenaron el Aula Polivalente en un ambiente de entusiasmo y curiosidad. Con este primer encuentro, el ciclo DIFT Colloquia 2025 se consolida como un espacio de referencia para el diálogo, la inspiración y la difusión de los avances en física teórica.

Lisa Randall opens the DIFT Colloquia 2025

On May 7, 2025, the Multipurpose Hall of the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid hosted the opening session of the new DIFT Colloquia series —a joint initiative of the Department of Theoretical Physics (DIFT) and the Institute for Theoretical Physics (IFT), aimed at fostering knowledge exchange and strengthening ties within the scientific community.

The inaugural talk was delivered by Lisa Randall, Professor of Theoretical Physics at Harvard University, and one of the most influential voices in the study of extra dimensions of space-time. In her lecture, titled “25 Years of Warped Geometry”, she provided an overview of the warped geometry models in five dimensions, developed with Raman Sundrum and Andreas Karch, highlighting their significance in particle physics, cosmology, string theory, and general relativity.

The event attracted over a hundred attendees, including students and researchers, who filled the Multipurpose Hall in an atmosphere of enthusiasm and curiosity. With this first meeting, the DIFT Colloquia 2025 series is established as a new forum for dialogue, inspiration, and the dissemination of advances in theoretical physics.