Science and technology in

Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...

relates to the set of policies, plans and programs carried out by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation and other organizations aimed at research, development and innovation (R&D&I), as well as the reinforcement Spanish scientific and technological infrastructures and facilities such as universities and commercial laboratories. Spain has become the ninth scientific power in the world with 2.5% of the total number of scientific publications, thus surpassing Russia in the world ranking of scientific production and surpassing

Switzerland Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a landlocked country located in west-central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. Switzerland ...

and Australia in scientific quality.

Regulations

Science Law of 1986

Law 13/1986 on the "Promotion and General Coordination of Scientific and Technical Research" placed science for the first time on the Spanish political agenda, laying the foundations for research and its financing, organization and coordination between the State and the autonomous regions. That regulation also led to the birth of the national research plan as an "instrument for financing science". It also meant that public research organizations could create companies, as a solution to the lack of companies that encouraged new technologies and the disconnection of the science-technology system with the productive system.

Science, Technology and Innovation Law (2011)

It is regulated by Law 14/2011, of 1 June 2011, on "Science, Technology and Innovation", which entered into force six months after its publication. According to the Ninth Final Provision of the Law, some of its provisions have the character of basic legislation. This provides a mechanism for national, regional and corporative entities to cooperate and optimise their resources. Article 21 of the Law contemplates the pre-

doctoral A doctorate (from Latin ''doctor'', meaning "teacher") or doctoral degree is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities and some other educational institutions, derived from the ancient formalism '' licentia docendi'' ("licence to teach ...

contract.

Science Law 2022

In 2020, the Ministry published the prior consultation on the reform of the Science Law. Through the 2021 Budget Law, the legal figure of the state agency was reintroduced for the State Research Agency (AEI) and the

Spanish National Research Council The Spanish National Research Council (, CSIC) is the largest public institution dedicated to research in Spain and the third largest in Europe. Its main objective is to develop and promote research that will help bring about scientific and techn ...

(CSIC), which had been transformed into an autonomous body in 2015. State agencies have greater independence for the management of their budget. A new Science Law is expected to be approved in 2022.

Sources of funding

In 2020, Spain will invest 1.24% of its GDP in scientific research, well below the European average of 2.12%.

Strategic plans

Up to 2020, eight editions of the National R&D&I Plan have been published, covering the period from 1988 to 1991 to 2007–2020, currently in force. Each year a Work Program of the National R&D&I Plan is approved, which serves as a short-term programming tool, and is managed by the Ministries of Science and Innovation (MICINN); Industry, Tourism and Trade;

Education Education is the transmission of knowledge and skills and the development of character traits. Formal education occurs within a structured institutional framework, such as public schools, following a curriculum. Non-formal education als ...

(MEFP); and Environment, Rural and Marine Affairs (MARM). At the end of 2020 the Spanish Government officially presented its Digital Plan 2025 which focussed on the recovery, transformation and resilience of scientific endeavour as a significant contributor to the Spanish economy. The Minister of Digital Development Carme Artigas has announced that starting from late 2022 the country proposes to set up a secure environment where a wide range of companies will be able to test their risky AI systems for socially sensitive areas such as law enforcement, medical diagnostics or educational intervention. The rules proposed by the European Commission in 2021 will be applied with strict oversight in compliance with Spain's National Artificial Intelligence Strategy (ENIA). "Nanoinventum" is a project led by the

University of Barcelona The University of Barcelona (official name in ; UB), formerly also known as Central University of Barcelona (), is a public research university located in the city of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. It was established in 1450. With 76,000 students, ...

to incorporate science and

nanotechnology Nanotechnology is the manipulation of matter with at least one dimension sized from 1 to 100 nanometers (nm). At this scale, commonly known as the nanoscale, surface area and quantum mechanical effects become important in describing propertie ...

principles into elementary school level curriculums. The main objective is to help young people become familiar with scientific language and to cultivate a passion for nanotechnology and science in general.

Public Research Organizations

Public Research Organizations (OPI) carry out a large part of the R&D&I activities that are financed with public funds and usually manage some of the programs included in the National Plans. IIIA-CSIC

The following OPI's are attached to the Ministry of Science and Innovation: *

(CSIC). * Center for Energy, Environmental and Technological Research (CIEMAT). * Geological and Mining Institute of Spain (IGME). * Spanish Institute of Oceanography (IEO). * National Institute of Agricultural and Food Research and Technology (INIA). * Institute of Astrophysics of the Canary Islands (IAC), in which the Government of the Canary Islands also participates. The following OPI's are attached to other ministerial departments: * Hydrodynamic Experimental Channel of El Pardo (CEHIPAR). * Center for Sociological Research (CIS). * Centre for Political and Constitutional Studies (CEPC). * Center for Public Works Studies and Experimentation (CEDEX). * R&D Centers under the General Directorate of Armament and Material (DGAM) of the Ministry of Defense (MINISDEF). * Institute of Fiscal Studies (IEF). * Carlos III Health Institute (ISCIII). * National Geographic Institute (IGN). * National Institute for Research and Training on Drugs (INIFD). * State Meteorological Agency (AEMET). * National Institute of Aerospace Technology (INTA) * National Institute of Toxicology and Forensic Sciences (INTCF).

Within the national territory

The Advisory Committee for Singular Infrastructures (until 2006 called the Advisory Committee for Large Scientific Facilities, CAGIC) distinguishes between two types of Scientific and Technological Facilities: ''Large Scientific Facilities'' (GIC) and ''Medium Size Facilities'' (ITM). Their recognition as such is the responsibility of the Interministerial Commission for Science and Technology (CICYT).

Singular Scientific and Technical Infrastructures (ICTS)

Singular Scientific and Technical Infrastructure (ICTS) refers to a facility that is unique or exceptional in Spain, that requires a relatively high investment cost, and that its importance in research or development justifies its availability. At present, the following facilities are recognized as Spanish ICTS (outdated list): * Spanish Antarctic Bases. * Oceanographic Research Vessel Hespérides. * Cornide de Saavedra Oceanographic Vessel. * Yebes Astronomical Center. * TJ-II Thermonuclear Fusion Device. * CISA High Biological Security Facility. * Singular Civil Engineering Installations of CEDEX. * CESGA FinisTerrae Supercomputer. * MareNostrum and MinoTauro supercomputers of the National Supercomputing Center. * Fine Chemical Plant of Catalonia. * Almeria Solar Platform. * Catalonia Computing and Communications Center. * RedIRIS. * Nuclear magnetic resonance laboratory of the Barcelona Science Park. * Clean Room of the National Microelectronics Center. * Technology Center of the Institute of Optoelectronic Systems of the

Polytechnic University of Madrid The Technical University of Madrid or sometimes called Polytechnic University of Madrid (, UPM) is a public university, located in Madrid, Spain. It was founded in 1971 as the result of merging different Technical Schools of Engineering and Arc ...

. * Fauna and Flora Collections of the

Museum of Natural Sciences The Museum of Natural Sciences (, ; , ) is a Brussels museum dedicated to natural history. It is a part of the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences (; ), itself part of the institutions of the Belgian Federal Science Policy Office (BELSP ...

and the Royal Botanical Garden. *

ALBA ''Alba'' ( , ) is the Scottish Gaelic name for Scotland. It is also, in English-language historiography, used to refer to the polity of Picts and Scots united in the ninth century as the Kingdom of Alba, until it developed into the Kingd ...

Synchrotron Light Laboratory. * Oceanic Platform of the Canary Islands. In addition, these are ICTS located in Spain, but with international participation: * Calar Alto Astronomical Center. *

Teide Observatory Teide Observatory (), IAU code 954, is an astronomical observatory on Mount Teide at , located on Tenerife, Spain. It has been operated by the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias since its inauguration in 1964. It became one of the first major ...

. *

Roque de los Muchachos Observatory Roque de los Muchachos Observatory (, ORM) is an astronomical observatory located in the municipality of Garafía on the island of La Palma in the Canary Islands, Spain. The observatory site is operated by the Instituto de Astrofísica de Can ...

. * Institut de radioastronomie millimétrique. *

Gran Telescopio Canarias The Gran Telescopio Canarias (GranTeCan or GTC) is a reflecting telescope located at the Roque de los Muchachos Observatory on the island of La Palma, in the Canary Islands, Spain. It is the List of largest optical reflecting telescopes, world's ...

Medium Size Installations (MSI)

A Medium Size Installation is defined as an Installation that is unique in Spain, requiring an investment cost of between 3 and 8 million euros and a maintenance cost of more than half a million euros per year.

Outside the national territory, with Spanish participation

Spain participates in several international scientific programs and organizations. The benefit obtained from this participation is twofold: on the one hand, Spanish scientists can use the facilities for the development of their projects; on the other hand, the business network has the opportunity to make important business contracts. Some of the facilities in which Spain participates are: *

European Space Agency The European Space Agency (ESA) is a 23-member International organization, international organization devoted to space exploration. With its headquarters in Paris and a staff of around 2,547 people globally as of 2023, ESA was founded in 1975 ...

. * European Laboratory for Particle Physics. *

European Molecular Biology Laboratory The European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) is an intergovernmental organization dedicated to molecular biology research and is supported by 29 member states, two prospect member states, and one associate member state. EMBL was created in ...

. * European Synchrotron Radiation Facility. * Institut Laue-Langevin. * ISIS, pulsed neutron and muon source. *

CERN The European Organization for Nuclear Research, known as CERN (; ; ), is an intergovernmental organization that operates the largest particle physics laboratory in the world. Established in 1954, it is based in Meyrin, western suburb of Gene ...

Scientific and technological fields

Spain was ranked 28th in the

Global Innovation Index The Global Innovation Index is an annual ranking of countries by their capacity for and success in innovation, published by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). It was started in 2007 by INSEAD and ''World Business'', a Britis ...

in 2024.

Physics

In 2020

Pablo Jarillo-Herrero Pablo Jarillo-Herrero (born June 11, 1976) is a Spanish physicist and current Cecil and Ida Green Professor of Physics at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Biography Jarillo-Herrero was born in Valencia, Spain. In 1999 he received ...

was awarded the

Wolf Prize in Physics The Wolf Prize in Physics is awarded once a year by the Wolf Foundation in Israel. It is one of the six Wolf Prizes established by the Foundation and awarded since 1978; the others are in Agriculture, Chemistry, Mathematics, Medicine and Arts. The ...

, considered the prelude to the Nobel Prize. In 2009 Juan Ignacio Cirac was nominated for the same prestigious award for his research in

quantum computing A quantum computer is a computer that exploits quantum mechanical phenomena. On small scales, physical matter exhibits properties of wave-particle duality, both particles and waves, and quantum computing takes advantage of this behavior using s ...

and

quantum optics Quantum optics is a branch of atomic, molecular, and optical physics and quantum chemistry that studies the behavior of photons (individual quanta of light). It includes the study of the particle-like properties of photons and their interaction ...

Chemistry

Among the Spanish contributions to

chemistry Chemistry is the scientific study of the properties and behavior of matter. It is a physical science within the natural sciences that studies the chemical elements that make up matter and chemical compound, compounds made of atoms, molecules a ...

are the research of

Francisco Mojica Francisco Juan Martínez Mojica (born 5 October 1963) is a Spanish molecular biologist and microbiologist at the University of Alicante in Spain. He is known for his discovery of repetitive, functional DNA sequences in bacteria which he named CR ...

that led to the birth of the

CRISPR CRISPR (; acronym of clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats) is a family of DNA sequences found in the genomes of prokaryotic organisms such as bacteria and archaea. Each sequence within an individual prokaryotic CRISPR is d ...

gene editing technique, a term he personally coined. Mariano Barbacid is one of the most internationally recognized

biochemist Biochemists are scientists who are trained in biochemistry. They study chemical processes and chemical transformations in living organisms. Biochemists study DNA, proteins and Cell (biology), cell parts. The word "biochemist" is a portmanteau of ...

s, among his contributions is that he managed to isolate the human H-ras

oncogene An oncogene is a gene that has the potential to cause cancer. In tumor cells, these genes are often mutated, or expressed at high levels.

bladder The bladder () is a hollow organ in humans and other vertebrates that stores urine from the kidneys. In placental mammals, urine enters the bladder via the ureters and exits via the urethra during urination. In humans, the bladder is a distens ...

carcinoma Carcinoma is a malignancy that develops from epithelial cells. Specifically, a carcinoma is a cancer that begins in a tissue that lines the inner or outer surfaces of the body, and that arises from cells originating in the endodermal, mesoder ...

. This was an incredible breakthrough in the study of the molecular basis of cancer. He currently directs the Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO).

Mathematics

In 2020, Spain ranked seventh in the world in terms of scientific impact in Mathematics. Internationally, centers such as the Institute of Mathematical Sciences (ICMAT), founded in 2007, and the Basque Center for Applied Mathematics (BCAM), founded in 2008, stand out. Carlos Beltrán solved Smale's Problem number 17, finding a

probabilistic algorithm A randomized algorithm is an algorithm that employs a degree of randomness as part of its logic or procedure. The algorithm typically uses uniformly random bits as an auxiliary input to guide its behavior, in the hope of achieving good performan ...

with polynomial

complexity Complexity characterizes the behavior of a system or model whose components interact in multiple ways and follow local rules, leading to non-linearity, randomness, collective dynamics, hierarchy, and emergence. The term is generally used to c ...

, and published his solution in 2009.

Medicine

Michael Servetus described in the 16th century the

pulmonary circulation The pulmonary circulation is a division of the circulatory system in all vertebrates. The circuit begins with deoxygenated blood returned from the body to the right atrium of the heart where it is pumped out from the right ventricle to the lun ...

of the blood. Francisco Romero in 1801 performed the first heart operation. Spain has a

Nobel Prize in Medicine The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine () is awarded yearly by the Nobel Assembly at the Karolinska Institute, Nobel Assembly at the Karolinska Institute for outstanding discoveries in physiology or medicine. The Nobel Prize is not a single ...

Santiago Ramón y Cajal Santiago Ramón y Cajal (; 1 May 1852 – 17 October 1934) was a Spanish neuroscientist, pathologist, and histologist specializing in neuroanatomy, and the central nervous system. He and Camillo Golgi received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or M ...

(1906), pioneer in the description of the functioning of the

nervous system In biology, the nervous system is the complex system, highly complex part of an animal that coordinates its behavior, actions and sense, sensory information by transmitting action potential, signals to and from different parts of its body. Th ...

. Others were on the verge of being nominated, such as Jaime Ferrán y Clúa, discoverer of the

cholera Cholera () is an infection of the small intestine by some Strain (biology), strains of the Bacteria, bacterium ''Vibrio cholerae''. Symptoms may range from none, to mild, to severe. The classic symptom is large amounts of watery diarrhea last ...

vaccine, which put an end to the epidemic that devastated Spain in the 19th century. He would later develop vaccines for

tetanus Tetanus (), also known as lockjaw, is a bacterial infection caused by ''Clostridium tetani'' and characterized by muscle spasms. In the most common type, the spasms begin in the jaw and then progress to the rest of the body. Each spasm usually l ...

typhoid Typhoid fever, also known simply as typhoid, is a disease caused by ''Salmonella enterica'' serotype Typhi bacteria, also called ''Salmonella'' Typhi. Symptoms vary from mild to severe, and usually begin six to 30 days after exposure. Often ther ...

tuberculosis Tuberculosis (TB), also known colloquially as the "white death", or historically as consumption, is a contagious disease usually caused by ''Mycobacterium tuberculosis'' (MTB) bacteria. Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but it can al ...

and

rabies Rabies is a viral disease that causes encephalitis in humans and other mammals. It was historically referred to as hydrophobia ("fear of water") because its victims panic when offered liquids to drink. Early symptoms can include fever and abn ...

. Also nominated were José Gómez Ocaña and August Pi i Sunyer. In the 19th century, the Balmis Expedition was the first international health expedition in history, with the aim of bringing the

smallpox Smallpox was an infectious disease caused by Variola virus (often called Smallpox virus), which belongs to the genus '' Orthopoxvirus''. The last naturally occurring case was diagnosed in October 1977, and the World Health Organization (W ...

vaccine to all continents, a disease that was causing thousands of deaths of children worldwide. In 1921, surgeon Fidel Pagés developed the epidural anesthesia technique. The engineer Manuel Jalón Corominas invented the disposable

hypodermic needle A hypodermic needle (from Greek Language, Greek ὑπο- (''hypo-'' = under), and δέρμα (''derma'' = skin)) is a very thin, hollow tube with one sharp tip. As one of the most important intravenous inventions in the field of drug admini ...

. Today Pedro Cavadas is internationally recognized for his milestones in transplant surgery.

Engineering

The

galleon Galleons were large, multi-decked sailing ships developed in Spain and Portugal. They were first used as armed cargo carriers by Europe, Europeans from the 16th to 18th centuries during the Age of Sail, and they were the principal vessels dr ...

, a Spanish invention, enabled the birth of the

Spanish Empire The Spanish Empire, sometimes referred to as the Hispanic Monarchy (political entity), Hispanic Monarchy or the Catholic Monarchy, was a colonial empire that existed between 1492 and 1976. In conjunction with the Portuguese Empire, it ushered ...

and its conquest of the seas. Narcís Monturiol, inventor of

air-independent propulsion Air-independent propulsion (AIP), or air-independent power, is any marine propulsion technology that allows a non-nuclear submarine to operate without access to atmospheric oxygen (by surfacing or using a snorkel). AIP can augment or replace th ...

, and

Isaac Peral Isaac Peral y Caballero (1 June 1851, in Cartagena – 22 May 1895, in Berlin), was a Spanish engineer, naval officer, and designer of the submarine . He joined the Spanish Navy in 1866, and developed the first electric-powered submarine which ...

were among the creators of the

submarine A submarine (often shortened to sub) is a watercraft capable of independent operation underwater. (It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability.) The term "submarine" is also sometimes used historically or infor ...

Juan de la Cierva Juan de la Cierva y Codorníu, 1st Count of la Cierva (; 21 September 1895 – 9 December 1936), was a Spanish civil engineer, pilot and a self-taught aeronautical engineer. His most famous accomplishment was the invention in 1920 of a rotorcr ...

invented the articulated rotor and the

autogyro An autogyro (from Greek and , "self-turning"), gyroscope, gyrocopter or gyroplane, is a class of rotorcraft that uses an unpowered rotor in free autorotation to develop lift. A gyroplane "means a rotorcraft whose rotors are not engine-d ...

, precursor of the

helicopter A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which Lift (force), lift and thrust are supplied by horizontally spinning Helicopter rotor, rotors. This allows the helicopter to VTOL, take off and land vertically, to hover (helicopter), hover, and ...

. In 1907,

Leonardo Torres Quevedo Leonardo Torres Quevedo (; 28 December 1852 – 18 December 1936) was a Spanish civil engineer, mathematician and inventor, known for his numerous engineering innovations, including Aerial tramway, aerial trams, airships, catamarans, and remote ...

(1852–1936) started up the world's first

aerial lift An aerial lift, also known as a cable car or ropeway, is a means of cable transport in which ''cabins'', ''cars'', ''Gondola lift, gondolas'', or Chairlift, open chairs are hauled above the ground by means of one or more Wire rope, cables. Aeria ...

for passengers on Mount Ulía in

San Sebastián San Sebastián, officially known by the bilingual name Donostia / San Sebastián (, ), is a city and municipality located in the Basque Autonomous Community, Spain. It lies on the coast of the Bay of Biscay, from the France–Spain border ...

Biology and biotechnology

In the

biotechnology Biotechnology is a multidisciplinary field that involves the integration of natural sciences and Engineering Science, engineering sciences in order to achieve the application of organisms and parts thereof for products and services. Specialists ...

sector, institutions such as the National

Biotechnology Biotechnology is a multidisciplinary field that involves the integration of natural sciences and Engineering Science, engineering sciences in order to achieve the application of organisms and parts thereof for products and services. Specialists ...

Center, companies such as PharmaMar and Zendal and researchers such as Mariano Esteban stand out.

Nuclear energy

Spain currently has generation II nuclear reactors, with the most advanced countries developing the

generation IV reactor Generation IV (Gen IV) reactors are nuclear reactor design technologies that are envisioned as successors of generation III reactors. The Generation IV International Forum (GIF) – an international organization that coordinates the development of ...

. It can be said that the father of nuclear energy in Spain was José María Otero de Navascués. Today the Center for Energy, Environmental and Technological Research (CIEMAT) is the main Spanish research center in this area, which has the TJ-II

stellarator A stellarator confines Plasma (physics), plasma using external magnets. Scientists aim to use stellarators to generate fusion power. It is one of many types of magnetic confinement fusion devices. The name "stellarator" refers to stars because ...

, and is planning a successor, the TJ-III. Pablo Rodríguez Fernández is a leading researcher in the race for

nuclear fusion Nuclear fusion is a nuclear reaction, reaction in which two or more atomic nuclei combine to form a larger nuclei, nuclei/neutrons, neutron by-products. The difference in mass between the reactants and products is manifested as either the rele ...

Granada Granada ( ; ) is the capital city of the province of Granada, in the autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Andalusia, Spain. Granada is located at the foot of the Sierra Nevada (Spain), Sierra Nevada mountains, at the confluence ...

is a candidate to host IFMIF-DONES from 2030 onwards.

Computer science

Hardware and electronics

Ramón Verea (1833–1899) created the first mechanical calculator capable of direct multiplication.

(1852–1936) created moderm wireless

remote-control A remote control, also known colloquially as a remote or clicker, is an consumer electronics, electronic device used to operate another device from a distance, usually wirelessly. In consumer electronics, a remote control can be used to operat ...

operation principles and analog calculating machines that could solve algebraic equations.Thomas, F. (2008)
"A Short Account on Leonardo Torres' Endless Spindle".
''Mechanism and Machine Theory'', Vol.43, No.8, pp. 1055-1063 In 1912, he built an automaton for playing chess endgames, El Ajedrecista, which has been considered the first

computer game A video game or computer game is an electronic game that involves interaction with a user interface or input device (such as a joystick, controller, keyboard, or motion sensing device) to generate visual feedback from a display device, mo ...

in history. He also introduced the idea of

floating-point arithmetic In computing, floating-point arithmetic (FP) is arithmetic on subsets of real numbers formed by a ''significand'' (a Sign (mathematics), signed sequence of a fixed number of digits in some Radix, base) multiplied by an integer power of that ba ...

to computers for the first time. José García Santesmases (1907–1989) built the first

analog computer An analog computer or analogue computer is a type of computation machine (computer) that uses physical phenomena such as Electrical network, electrical, Mechanics, mechanical, or Hydraulics, hydraulic quantities behaving according to the math ...

and the first Spanish-made

microprocessor A microprocessor is a computer processor (computing), processor for which the data processing logic and control is included on a single integrated circuit (IC), or a small number of ICs. The microprocessor contains the arithmetic, logic, a ...

. In 1967 he launched the Factor-P, the first computer manufactured in Spain. In 2016 and 2017 BQ became the third best-selling

smartphone A smartphone is a mobile phone with advanced computing capabilities. It typically has a touchscreen interface, allowing users to access a wide range of applications and services, such as web browsing, email, and social media, as well as multi ...

brand in Spain, with phones designed in the country. Towards the end of the 1990s and early 2000s several companies manufactured laptops in Spain, most notably Airis and Inves. By 2021, Primux, Slimbook, Vant and Mountain already designed and assembled their computers in Spain. Between 1987 and 2009 there was a large

microchip An integrated circuit (IC), also known as a microchip or simply chip, is a set of electronic circuits, consisting of various electronic components (such as transistors, resistors, and capacitors) and their interconnections. These components a ...

factory in

Tres Cantos Tres Cantos () is a Municipalities of Spain, municipality of Spain located in Community of Madrid. Originally belonging to Colmenar Viejo, it seceded from the latter municipality in 1991, becoming the youngest municipality in the region. The urban ...

, but it closed due to the difficulty of competing with the Asian market. Currently there are Spanish companies with

production capacity on a smaller scale, but which also have design capacity, such as Televés, a pioneer in Europe in the use of DIE electronic components (electronic components without encapsulation) and which also has the capacity to manufacture

MMIC Monolithic microwave integrated circuit, or MMIC (sometimes pronounced "mimic"), is a type of integrated circuit (IC) device that operates at microwave frequencies (300 MHz to 300 GHz). These devices typically perform functions such as ...

circuits, Ikor, and Anafocus, dedicated to the manufacture of CMOS image sensors.

Software

Between 1983 and 1992, Spain became one of the largest producers of video games, in what is called the golden age of the Spanish video game. Today FX Interactive, heir of Dinamic Software, is among the most prominent companies.

Internet

At the end of the 1990s IRC-Hispano was the reference as a social community in the Hispanic world. Other software companies that have achieved great repercussion are the search engine Olé,

Terra Networks Terra was a Spanish Internet multinational company owned by Telefónica. It was headquartered in Spain and had offices in Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, the United States and Peru. Part of the Telefónica Group (the former Spanish public tele ...

or Tuenti. Today, Wallapop, Fotocasa, Cabify and Rakuten TV stand out.

Space

The evolution of astronomical navigation, thanks to the contributions of astronomers such as Alonso de Santa Cruz, Juan Arias de Loyola and

Jorge Juan y Santacilia Jorge Gaspar Juan y Santacilia (Novelda, Province of Alicante, Alicante, 5 January 1713 – Madrid, 21 June 1773) was a Spanish mariner, mathematician, natural scientist, astronomer, engineer, and educator. He is generally regarded as one of t ...

was also key to Spain's preponderance in the oceans. Since 1968 the National Institute for Aerospace Technology has concatenated scientific satellite programs, starting with the Intasat Program, continuing with the Minisat program which was a qualitative leap in the 90's, and continuing up to the current Small Satellite Constellation Program. Many of the instruments used in space missions to

Mars Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun. It is also known as the "Red Planet", because of its orange-red appearance. Mars is a desert-like rocky planet with a tenuous carbon dioxide () atmosphere. At the average surface level the atmosph ...

and

asteroid An asteroid is a minor planet—an object larger than a meteoroid that is neither a planet nor an identified comet—that orbits within the Solar System#Inner Solar System, inner Solar System or is co-orbital with Jupiter (Trojan asteroids). As ...

s are developed at the Astrobiology Center (CAB). Among the major contributors in the space area are Emilio Herrera, inventor of the stratonautical space suit, predecessor of the

space suit A space suit (or spacesuit) is an environmental suit used for protection from the harsh environment of outer space, mainly from its vacuum as a highly specialized pressure suit, but also its temperature extremes, as well as radiation and ...

; Enrique Trillas, promoter of space science programs; and

Pedro Duque Pedro Francisco Duque Duque, Order of Friendship, OF, Medal "For Merit in Space Exploration", OMSE (born Madrid, 14 March 1963) is a Spanish astronaut and aeronautics engineer who served as Ministry of Science (Spain), minister of Science from ...

, the first Spanish astronaut.

Science and Technology Parks

In Spain there are many science and technology parks, all of them are usually grouped in the Association of Science and Technology Parks of Spain (APTE). * Espaitec. Universitat Jaume I Science, Technology and Business Park. * Alava Technology Park. * Science and Technology Park of Castilla-La Mancha in

Albacete Albacete ( , , ) is a city and municipality in the Spanish autonomous community of Castilla–La Mancha, and capital of the province of Albacete. Lying in the south-east of the Iberian Peninsula, the area around the city is known as Los Llan ...

. * Science and Technology Park of Alcalá. * Science and Technology Park of Jaén (Geolit). * Mediterranean Science Park in

Alicante Alicante (, , ; ; ; officially: ''/'' ) is a city and municipalities of Spain, municipality in the Valencian Community, Spain. It is the capital of the province of Alicante and a historic Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean port. The population ...

. * Asturias Technology Park. * Balearic Technological Innovation Park. * Barcelona Science Park. * 22@Barcelona. * Bizkaia Technology Park – Zamudio. * Center for Technological Development of the University of Cantabria. * Castilla y León Technology Parks. * Galicia Technology Park. * Gijon Science and Technology Park. *

Health Sciences Technological Park. * Carlos III University Leganés Technological Science Park. * Madrid Science Park. * Andalusia Technology Park (PTA) in Malaga. * Walqa Technology Park in

Huesca Huesca (; ) is a city in north-eastern Spain, within the Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Aragon. It was the capital of the Kingdom of Aragon between 1096 and 1118. It is also the capital of the Spanish Huesca (province), ...

. * La Salle Innovation Park. * San Sebastian Technology Park. * Cartuja 93 Science and Technology Park in

Seville Seville ( ; , ) is the capital and largest city of the Spain, Spanish autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Andalusia and the province of Seville. It is situated on the lower reaches of the Guadalquivir, River Guadalquivir, ...

. * València Technology Park. * Polytechnic City of Innovation. * Vallés Technology Park. * Vigo Technology and Logistics Park. * Science and Technology Park of Cantabria (PCTCAN) * ICT City in

A Coruña A Coruña (; ; also informally called just Coruña; historical English: Corunna or The Groyne) is a city and municipality in Galicia, Spain. It is Galicia's second largest city, behind Vigo. The city is the provincial capital of the province ...

. * Bases antárticas de España (Antarctic bases in Spain)

International Programs

The international R&D&I programs in which Spain participates are usually focused on the European area, and the most important are the following: * Framework Program, of the

European Union The European Union (EU) is a supranational union, supranational political union, political and economic union of Member state of the European Union, member states that are Geography of the European Union, located primarily in Europe. The u ...

for the promotion and support of R&D&I. * ERA Nets, articulated within the Framework Program, are actions to develop a European research area. * ''ESF Collaborative Research Programmes'' (EUROCORES), of the European Science Foundation (ESF). * ''European Science Foundation'', a non-governmental association made up of 76 organizations from 29 European countries. * Science and Technology for Development (CYTED),

Ibero-America Ibero-America (, ) or Iberian America is generally considered to be the region in the Americas comprising countries or territories where Spanish or Portuguese are predominant languages (usually former colony, territories of Spain or Portugal). Sp ...

n program of science and technology for development. * European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST), with the participation of 34 European countries. * EMBC/ EMBO/

EMBL The European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) is an intergovernmental organization dedicated to molecular biology research and is supported by 29 member states, two prospect member states, and one associate member state. EMBL was created in ...

, the European Molecular Biology Conference,

Organization An organization or organisation (English in the Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth English; American and British English spelling differences#-ise, -ize (-isation, -ization), see spelling differences) is an legal entity, entity—such as ...

and

Laboratory A laboratory (; ; colloquially lab) is a facility that provides controlled conditions in which scientific or technological research, experiments, and measurement may be performed. Laboratories are found in a variety of settings such as schools ...

. * EUREKA Program, an initiative to support cooperative R&D in Europe, promoted in Spain by the PROFIT Program. *

, European organization for cooperation in space research and technology. Spain participates in the scientific, shuttle, human spaceflight and

microgravity Weightlessness is the complete or near-complete absence of the sensation of weight, i.e., zero apparent weight. It is also termed zero g-force, or zero-g (named after the g-force) or, incorrectly, zero gravity. Weight is a measurement of the fo ...

, Earth observation, telecommunications,

satellite navigation A satellite navigation or satnav system is a system that uses satellites to provide autonomous geopositioning. A satellite navigation system with global coverage is termed global navigation satellite system (GNSS). , four global systems are ope ...

and Hispasat-related programs. *

, European organization for nuclear research. * ESRF, scientific cooperation at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility. * '' Institut Laue-Langevin'', experimental research on microscopic structures and material dynamics. * ''

Global Biodiversity Information Facility The Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) is an international organisation that focuses on making scientific data on biodiversity available via the Internet using web services. The data are provided by many institutions from around th ...

'', international program for the study of global

biodiversity Biodiversity is the variability of life, life on Earth. It can be measured on various levels. There is for example genetic variability, species diversity, ecosystem diversity and Phylogenetics, phylogenetic diversity. Diversity is not distribut ...

. * International Institute for Computer Science, an extension of the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at the

University of California The University of California (UC) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university, research university system in the U.S. state of California. Headquartered in Oakland, California, Oakland, the system is co ...

, of which Spain has been a member since 14 November 1998. * Integrated Ocean Drilling Program, an international marine research program. * International Arctic Science Committee (IASC) since 2009.

Popular science

The Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology (FECYT) is a public foundation under the Ministry of Science and Innovation,FECYT Presentation (in Spanish)
/ref> whose mission is to foster science and innovation, promoting their integration and approach to society. The National Museum of Science and Technology (MUNCYT) is dedicated to conservation and to

popular science Popular science (also called pop-science or popsci) is an interpretation of science intended for a general audience. While science journalism focuses on recent scientific developments, popular science is more broad ranging. It may be written ...

and technology. It has two sites, one in

Alcobendas Alcobendas () is a municipality of Spain located in the Community of Madrid. It forms an urban continuum with the neighbouring municipality of San Sebastián de los Reyes. The affluent residential area of La Moraleja lies within the municipal l ...

and the other in

External links

Ministry of Science and Innovation: Science and Technology (in Spanish).

References

{{Reflist 21st century Industrial automation Industrial computing Internet of things Technology forecasting Big data Industrial Revolution Fourth Industrial Revolution