"Opponents point to a great range of alleged ills associated with the facilities - from their immense appetites for electricity and water to their weak track record as local employers - as they seek to push them away."
"a sustainability nonprofit called the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) is claiming that data centers are emitting ultra-low frequencies - think the powerful sub-bass at an EDM festival - that, while not picked up by a conventional decibel meter, cause an unsettling rumble for nearby residents."
"critics say this "infrasound" - supposedly generated by some combination of the facilities' server racks, cooling systems, and power generators - can cause issues ranging from insomnia and nausea to anxiety and headaches."
"a 2025 study published in the journal Eco-Environment & Health found they can reach internal noise levels of 96 decibels. Humans begin experiencing hearing damage at a threshold of around 85."
Data centers powering AI have become unwanted neighbors across the country. Opponents cite concerns including high electricity and water use and limited local employment benefits. A new complaint involves claims that data centers emit ultra-low frequency infrasound that conventional decibel meters do not capture, producing a rumbling sensation for nearby residents. Critics link this infrasound to potential health effects such as insomnia, nausea, anxiety, and headaches, attributing it to server racks, cooling systems, and power generators. Evidence for psychological effects from inaudible sounds exists, but the legitimacy of the specific infrasound concern remains uncertain. Separately, data centers are clearly loud, with a 2025 study reporting internal noise levels up to 96 decibels, above the approximate 85-decibel threshold for hearing damage.
Read at Futurism
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