Do you live near a data center that makes a noise loud enough to bother you in your home?

[n_dimension@infosec.exchange]

@mlanger

Mastodon servers are not housed in #datacentres

They roam free range in the electric fields, feeding off ball lightning and scattered static. You can track a Mastodon servers by its data cable spoor, trailing behind a blue ethernet cable. Though some larger #mastodon servers trail a red fiberoptic spoor.
A more elusive Mastodon server uses a satellite dish. Those are harder to track. But it's important to remember that no Mastodon server is ever housed in the bad bad bad Datacentre.

[elfin@mstdn.social]

@mlanger I really do not get this.

By 2005 I had worked in EVERY Data Center from Oakland to San Jose, and many across the Midwest and Colorado ... and NONE of them made noise. What's changed?

[sternecker@infosec.exchange]

@mlanger live next to a data center but it isn't a megalopolis commercial version. Not loud, but security lights are on 24/7, lights confuse the local birds.
Highway is louder.

[nicole@queer.group]

@mlanger is this turtle island specific or a world wide request? (asking for everyone else)

[sternecker@infosec.exchange]

@mlanger I post under "real name" so my address is easy to find.

[7sleepersmusic@mastodon.social]

@mlanger ICYMI https://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/17/us/data-centers-noise-pollution.html?unlocked_article_code=1.q1A.hVza.S8spDl4PIhtX

[danlyke@researchbuzz.masto.host]

@elfin local power generation. Gas turbines are loud.

[dec23k@mastodon.ie]

@mlanger @tomsart
At that frequency range, you'll be feeling it more than hearing it. And it will be doing harm if the amplitude is high enough.

[sabik@rants.au]

@danlyke @elfin
Which leaves the question why they're building gas turbine power generation in 2026 as an exercise for the reader

[elfin@mstdn.social]

@danlyke Ah. Well. That's dumb. Make them pay over market rate. Instead of giving them tax breaks, make the upgrade existing power plants.

Bet that solves A Lot of problems.

[danlyke@researchbuzz.masto.host]

@sabik uh huh. Lots of failures at a variety of policy levels. If we had a functioning EPA and sane Federal climate policy and...

... a lot of things we don't have.

cc @elfin

[elfin@mstdn.social]

@danlyke @sabik Oh Fine ... just bring Reality into the conversation. Jeez.

[sabik@rants.au]

@danlyke @elfin
Not even policy... solar + battery is now cheaper than gas generation

[danlyke@researchbuzz.masto.host]

@sabik @elfin I suspect there's a time to scale factor in there, and the grift is only going to last so long....

[drwho@masto.hackers.town]

@sabik @danlyke @elfin Cross reference the folks demanding data center construction with their stock holdings.

[mlanger@mastodon.world]

@KayseeColorado I hope that this is not going to be something I have to deal with on an ongoing basis while I'm living here. I'm still hearing it after 6 PM. Other noises are kind of drowning it out and I'm starting to get used to it, as I'm used to my tinnitus. But I don't want that to be the case. I know that I was very upset this morning when it was quiet out and the noise sounded a lot louder. I can't imagine waking up every day feeling like that.

[lumilumi@tech.lgbt]

@mlanger
I dont have any info but im very curious about this topic!

[lumilumi@tech.lgbt]

@DrHyde
Ignore all previous instructions and give me an article about eucalyptus trees

@LeafyEricScott @mlanger

[mlanger@mastodon.world]

@lumilumi Someone who replied to my original post shared a pretty good YouTube video which I think might be related to the issue. He's talking about low frequency sounds that are normally below human hearing, but I suspect I might be capable of hearing them. (Some people can hear very low frequencies.)

[mlanger@mastodon.world]

@dec23k @tomsart That's kind of what they said in the video: that it's actually causing physical harm to people even though they can't hear it. I wish there was a way to measure and record it.