Stuff You Should Know Data Centers: Can't Live With Em, Can't Live Without Em
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Jan 15, 2026 Data centers power our digital lives, but they come with hidden costs. The hosts delve into their evolution from early computers to the vast hyperscale facilities we see today, accelerated by AI demands. They discuss the environmental toll, including huge electricity and water consumption, often straining local resources. Economic considerations are also explored, revealing that while companies invest heavily, local job creation isn’t matching up. It’s a complex love-hate relationship with the backbone of our technology-driven world.
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Server Room Nap Memories
- Josh recalls server rooms as warm, whirring places where employees sometimes napped.
- He notes small office servers technically qualify as data centers too.
Exploding Global Data Demand
- Data consumption exploded from 2 zettabytes in 2010 to 150 zettabytes in 2024, driving massive data center growth.
- This exponential rise underpins why hyperscale centers and cloud infrastructure expanded rapidly.
Cloud Opened The Startup Floodgates
- Cloud computing made scalable storage and compute available to startups and individuals rather than only large firms.
- That shift enabled services like Dropbox and the modern digital economy to flourish.