The Obtain: The desert information heart growth, and how one can measure Earth’s elevations

Within the excessive desert east of Reno, Nevada, development crews are flattening the golden foothills of the Virginia Vary, laying the foundations of an information heart metropolis.

Google, Tract, Swap, EdgeCore, Novva, Vantage, and PowerHouse are all working, constructing, or increasing big amenities close by. In the meantime, Microsoft has acquired greater than 225 acres of undeveloped property, and Apple is increasing its current information heart simply throughout the Truckee River from the commercial park.

The company race to amass computing sources to coach and run synthetic intelligence fashions and retailer data within the cloud has sparked an information heart growth within the desert—and it’s simply far sufficient away from Nevada’s communities to elude huge discover and, some concern, ample scrutiny. Learn the complete story.

—James Temple

This story is a part of Energy Hungry: AI and our vitality future—our new collection shining a light-weight on the vitality calls for and carbon prices of the factitious intelligence revolution. Try the remainder of the bundle right here.

A brand new atomic clock in area might assist us measure elevations on Earth

In 2003, engineers from Germany and Switzerland started constructing a bridge throughout the Rhine River concurrently from either side. Months into development, they discovered that the 2 sides didn’t meet. The German aspect hovered 54 centimeters above the Swiss one.

The misalignment occurred as a result of they measured elevation from sea degree otherwise. To forestall such pricey development errors, in 2015 scientists within the Worldwide Affiliation of Geodesy voted to undertake the Worldwide Peak Reference Body, or IHRF, a worldwide customary for elevation.

Now, a decade after its adoption, scientists want to replace the usual—by utilizing essentially the most exact clock ever to fly in area. Learn the complete story.