Data centre water use is rising rapidly as AI spreads, making changes to cooling infrastructure a key industry task. International Energy Agency data cited by TechRadar put annual consumption at about 560 billion litres, with a recent report projecting it could reach up to 1.2 trillion litres by 2030. The article outlines alternatives such as closed-loop liquid cooling, direct chip and node cooling, high-temperature water systems and waste-heat reuse, alongside site selection strategies to ease pressure on freshwater supplies.

Even if alien civilizations exist, there are clear physical constraints that could keep them from visiting Earth, a researcher said. Carol Oliver of the University of New South Wales’ Sydney campus cited three reasons: the immense distances in space, the enormous energy required for interstellar travel and the potential dangers of Earth’s environment to non-adapted life. She also said the limited reach and short history of human observations make the lack of contact unsurprising.