On data-centers

Or centres.. did you know?...

Some startling information about data-centers, and the roll-out of hyper-scale data-centers:

If you only dip into this, the discussion will teach you a lot about the existential impacts of data-centers (esp. hyperscale data-centers) on:

• wildlife,

• farm land,

• human communities,

• water and energy (fuel) supplies,

• human thoughts and feelings,

• and other things that we do not yet understand.

Data-centers have been increasing dramatically in size and numbers, since the first one built in 1940s USA.

There are currently c.12,000 data-centers globally, across most nations of the world. The USA has c.5,000. UK and Germany upwards of 500 each. Surprisingly China has only about 400, although understandably information on China is less clear.

There are more than 1,000 vast hyperscale data-centers globally: Amazon, Microsoft, Google, Meta, Apple, and new market entrants such as CoreWeave, Lambda, Nebius, and Elon Musk’s Colossus 1 in Memphis, Tennessee, and Colossus 2 in Memphis powered by its generation plant across the state line in Southaven, Mississippi).

More optimistically, there do seem to be mitigating circumstances, which could/will slow or stop the expansions, and this is explained in Nate B Jones’ video four months ago about the (irreversible) shortages of helium, and therefore computer chips:

Thanks for reading/watching/sharing.

Love and gratitude,

Alan