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An anonymous reader quotes a report from New Scientist: Andrea Marinoni at the University of Cambridge, UK, and his colleagues saw that the amount of energy needed to run a data centre had been steadily increasing of late and was likely to “explode” in the coming years, so wanted to quantify the impact. The researchers took satellite measurements of land surface temperatures over the past 20 years and cross-referenced them against the geographical coordinates of more than 8400 AI data centers. Recognizing that surface temperature could be affected by other factors, the researchers chose to focus their investigation on data centers located away from densely populated areas.
They discovered that land surface temperatures increased by an average of 2C (3.6F) in the months after an AI data center started operations. In the most extreme cases, the increase in temperature was 9.1C (16.4F). The effect wasn’t limited to the immediate surroundings of the data centers: the team found increased temperatures up to 10 kilometers away. Seven kilometers away, there was only a 30 percent reduction in the intensity. “The results we had were quite surprising,” says Marinoni. “This could become a huge problem.”
Using population data, the researchers estimate that more than 340 million people live within 10 kilometers of data centers, so live in a place that is warmer than it would be if the data centre hadn’t been built there. Marinoni says that areas including the Bajio region in Mexico and the Aragon province in Spain saw a 2C (3.6F) temperature increase in the 20 years between 2004 and 2024 that couldn’t otherwise be explained. University of Bristol researcher Chris Preist said the findings may be more complicated than they look. “It would be worth doing follow-up research to understand to what extent it’s the heat generated from computation versus the heat generated from the building itself,” he says. For example, the building being heated by sunlight may be part of the effect.
The findings of the study, which has not yet been peer-reviewed, can be found on arXiv.
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Apple’s 11-inch iPad (2025) usually sells for around $499, but StackSocial currently has refurbished 11-inch iPads with wifi and cellular on sale for just $359.97 right now. This listing carries a Grade-A refurbishment rating, which means the tablet should show little to no cosmetic wear and has been cleared to function like new. At this price, you’re getting the tablet, a charger, and a charging cable, but accessories like the Apple Pencil or Magic Keyboard aren’t included, so anyone planning to use the tablet for drawing or heavy typing would need to budget for those separately. Even so, refurbished listings like this can make newer Apple hardware easier to justify, especially when the core performance components are still recent.
Inside, the tablet runs on Apple’s A16 chip with 6GB of RAM. In everyday use, that combination keeps the tablet responsive during common tasks. Switching between Safari, a note-taking app, or a video stream tends to stay smooth, and apps rarely reload when you move between them. Plus, its 11-inch Liquid Retina display pushes a 1640×2360 resolution with True Tone support, so text remains crisp, and colors adapt slightly to ambient lighting. The tablet includes 128GB of storage, which is plenty for apps, documents, and downloaded shows, though people who store large video projects or game libraries may hit the limit sooner. As for its cameras, there’s a rear 12-megapixel lens that works well for scanning documents or taking quick photos, and a 12-megapixel front camera that supports Apple’s Center Stage feature, which automatically keeps you framed during video calls.
Cellular connectivity sets this model apart from the standard wifi-only iPads. Since it supports an eSIM, you can activate a mobile data plan and stay online even when you’re away from home networks, which can make a difference if you travel frequently, work from cafés, or simply want a reliable connection on the go without being dependent on public wifi. Apple estimates up to 10 hours of battery life when browsing over wifi and slightly less (around nine hours) when using cellular data. The tablet also supports Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.3, USB-C charging, and Touch ID for unlocking. Overall, this 2025 11-inch iPad is a great buy at this price for reading, streaming, note-taking, and everyday productivity.
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Workout earbuds often promise a secure fit and big sound, but not all deliver both. The Beats Powerbeats Fit earbuds are currently on sale for $124.97 on StackSocial as open-box units, and they balance those priorities. These are the newer versions replacing the older Fit Pro in Beats’ lineup, and the biggest change is how they stay in your ears. Instead of the traditional ear-hook design, Beats switched to a fit wing that gently presses against the inside of the ear for stability. In practice, that means the buds stay in place during runs, workouts, or quick movements without the clamp-like feel that some hook designs create. Each earbud also includes physical controls, so you can press to play or pause music, adjust volume, or hold the button to toggle features like noise canceling or Siri. The earbuds also carry an IPX4 water-resistance rating, meaning they can withstand sweat and light rain.
The sound leans toward the kind of tuning Beats is known for. The 9.5mm drivers push a strong low end that works well for workout playlists or bass-heavy music. The bass has impact but does not completely overpower everything else. Vocals and instruments remain clear enough to follow along with podcasts or pop tracks, though the midrange sits slightly behind the bass. These earbuds also support active noise canceling, which helps reduce background noise like traffic rumble or gym equipment. It won’t create total silence, but it can make music easier to hear without turning the volume up too high.
Battery life is also solid for daily use: You can expect about six hours of listening with ANC on, and up to 24 hours total with the charging case. The Apple H1 chip inside the earbuds makes them particularly convenient for iPhone users. Pairing happens quickly, switching between Apple devices is seamless, and you can use hands-free Siri to control playback or send messages. The earbuds also work with Android devices through a companion app that gives access to most of the same controls. That said, as with most workout earbuds, the focus here is stability and energy in the sound rather than studio-level accuracy.
Microsoft is reportedly shifting Windows 11 app development back toward fully native apps. Rudy Huyn, a Partner Architect at Microsoft working on the Store and File Explorer, said in a post on X that he is building a new team to work on Windows apps. “You don’t need prior experience with the platform.. what matters most is strong product thinking and a deep focus on the customer,” he wrote. “If you’ve built great apps on any platform and care about crafting meaningful user experiences, I’d love to hear from you.” Huyn later said in a reply on X that the new Windows 11 apps will be “100% native.” TechSpot reports: The description stands out at a time when many of Microsoft’s built-in tools, including Clipchamp and Copilot, rely on web technologies and Progressive Web App architectures. The company’s commitment to native performance suggests that some long-standing frustrations around responsiveness, memory use, and interface consistency could finally be addressed.
For Windows developers, Huyn’s comments hint at a change in direction. Microsoft’s recent development priorities have leaned heavily on web-based approaches, with Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) replacing or supplementing many native programs. […] Exactly which applications will be rebuilt, or how strictly “100% native” will be enforced, remains unclear. Some current Microsoft apps classified as native still depend on WebView for specific features. But the renewed emphasis already has developers paying attention.
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Residents of Birmingham, Alabama, were abruptly informed earlier this month that their water utility had decided to stop adding fluoride to city water. Then, days later, they learned that the utility had actually stopped adding fluoride years ago.
On March 20, Central Alabama Water (CAW) made an announcement that it had discontinued water fluoridation. The announcement cited “aging equipment” and “increasing maintenance and component replacement” as justifications for the removal of fluoride, which it indicated had already occurred. But the water utility also highlighted unsubstantiated health concerns and noted that people can buy toothpaste and mouthwash that contain fluoride to protect their teeth.
Emphasizing that there are “questions about the long‑term health effects,” CAW said, “ending drinking water fluoridation allows customers and their health care providers to make more individualized decisions about fluoride use.”