Dizziness, nausea, vertigo, and sleep disruption: The undetectable hum of AI data centers is making local residents sick

Date:
Mon, 11 May 2026 16:25:00 +0000

Description:
AI data centers rely on noisy equipment to function, and it is having a physical effect on local residents.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter The cooling systems and generators of AI data centers are causing illnesses Noise emitted from data centers is below the threshold of human hearing The infrasound can be 'felt', and is causing dizziness, nausea, anxiety, and more People living nearby to
AI data centers in the US are increasingly reporting illnesses caused by a near-imperceptible hum.

The infrasound, which in some cases can be felt rather than heard, is causing people living in the vicinity of several data centers to fall sick with symptoms such as headaches, insomnia, nausea, and anxiety. Those living near certain data centers have reported noise levels approaching 100dB, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Latest Videos From You may like Surge in ultra-hot data centers is creating extreme heat islands Data centers could cause $25 billion in environmental and health damages, study finds Shocking emissions stats revealed for 11 planned AI data centers in the US Undetectable hum Numerous grassroots groups and local communities have launched bids to stop
or halt the construction of data centers on the grounds of electricity consumption, pollution, and general opposition to AI.

Now, noise pollution concerns could soon join the list. According to the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) , data centers emit sounds at a range of frequencies, both high and low. Lower frequencies, especially
those below the threshold of human hearing, are particularly difficult to detect without reliable equipment, making noise auditing for local
communities especially difficult.

Residents of Brittany Heights in Chandler, Arizona, were forced to try and block out the constant hum of a data center built in 2014 using noise-cancelling headphones and earplugs with little effect. The noise pollution was such a big issue for local residents that it led to the
proposal for a new data center being blocked. Residents living near AI data centers are reporting constant low-frequency hum measured as infrasound,
sound below the human hearing threshold that causes dizziness, nausea, vertigo, and sleep disruption. The noise comes from cooling systems and
onsite gas turbines hyperscalers pic.twitter.com/6tqjkrGiJ4 May 8, 2026 As AI data centers rely on huge ranks of GPUs to run, they generate an enormous amount of heat. The GPUs require cooling to run at peak efficiency, meaning that huge amounts of energy are used to cool the air. This can amount to up
to 40% of a data center's total electricity consumption. Are you a pro? Subscribe to our newsletter Sign up to the TechRadar Pro newsletter to get
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Many data centers also make use of backup generators to keep their
electricity supply at 100%. In many cases, these are diesel generators that are switched on during peak times when electricity suppliers need to provide power to other residential and industrial areas. As a result, banks of generators releasing as much as 105dB each are switched on to keep the power flowing.

It is even worse for off-grid data centers. Rather than building the
expensive infrastructure to connect a data center to the existing infrastructure near population centers, some data centers are built in rural areas and powered by natural-gas-powered turbines. These turbines generate electricity in a similar way to how jet engines generate thrust. The sound of these turbines can be heard from many miles away.

A study published in the US National Library of Medicine tested the effects
of infrasound above 100dB on human tissue. The experiment concluded that infrasound can affect cardiac function in as little as one hour after exposure.

Infrasound has been also referenced as a potential cause of the so-called Havana Syndrome experienced by US and Canadian diplomats and their families working at certain locations abroad, who experienced similar symptoms to
those living near data centers.

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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/pro/dizziness-nausea-vertigo-and-sleep-disruption-th e-undetectable-hum-of-ai-data-centers-is-making-local-residents-sick


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