TECH

'5-in-1' seed-sized surgical robot switches tools in under one second

Scientists from Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) have developed a tiny seed-sized robot that can navigate across soft and uneven surfaces to perform five surgical functions wirelessly, paving the way for developing robots to make surgeries and medical treatments more precise.

The miniature robot, measuring just 4.4 mm in length and controlled by weak magnetic fields, can move, cut biological tissues, release drugs, grip and store tissue samples, or generate heat remotely at any one time. It takes under a second to switch between these functions.

Led by Associate Professor Lum Guo Zhan from NTU's School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (MAE), the work was published in the journal Advanced Materials.

Using magnetic coils in the laboratory to remotely control the robot, the team was able to make the robot deploy different tools and perform different functions, such as activating a tiny blade to cut through tissue, or emitting heat to a targeted area, which could be relevant for approaches being studied that use heat for cancer treatment.

"Most magnetic robots like this can perform only one or two functions. Our latest invention can now do five, and our long-term goal is for doctors to use these mini robots in the body, navigate them to a targeted location, and use them to perform treatments," said Assoc Prof Lum, who is a pioneer in miniature robots made from soft, flexible materials.

Mini robots are being studied worldwide as a possible way to make minimally invasive surgical and medical procedures safer, less painful and more precise.

Such devices could one day allow doctors to carry out targeted surgeries deep inside the body without large cuts or bulky surgical instruments.

Overcoming a key robotics challenge...To fit multiple functions into a robot only a few millimeters long, the NTU team developed a device for controlling movements that is activated by magnetic fields and which can be reprogrammed in under a second.

The robot is made from soft magnetic materials, including PDMS and Ecoflex, which are silicone-based materials commonly used in soft robotics as they are flexible and can be shaped into small structures.

These materials are embedded with magnetic microparticles measuring 5 micrometers each, allowing different parts of the robot to respond to magnetic fields.

At the center of the device is a magnetic module that can be magnetized, demagnetized and remagnetized in different directions.

Each magnetic orientation activates a different function of the robot, allowing the same mobile robot to perform five different functions, including cutting and grasping tissues.

The researchers also engineered different regions of the robot to ensure that only one part, but not the rest, responds to the same magnetic field.

This means that only one part of the robot reacts to a magnetic field to change its shape to activate a tool or function, while other parts remain still and unchanged in their current forms, addressing a major limitation in miniature magnetic robots.

At small scales, magnetic fields often affect the entire device at once, causing it to behave like a single magnet, with all parts reacting to a magnetic field, thus limiting how precisely it can move or activate different tools.

Most miniature magnetic robots are also limited to five degrees of freedom. They can only move along three axes and rotate in two directions.

The NTU robot adds a sixth movement, rolling, which allows it to spin around its own long axis. This gives the robot finer control over how it can be positioned, which is important for navigating narrow, soft and irregular spaces, such as those inside the body.

Unlike slime-like mini robots, the NTU robot has a solid but flexible body, making it sturdier and easier to retrieve after use.

Tested on biological tissues...The NTU team tested the robot's surgical functions using biological tissue models, including chicken liver, as well as gelatin-based materials that simulate soft tissue.

In laboratory tests, the robot cut through biological tissues, dispensing particles simulating drug particles, gripped and stored tissue samples, and generated localized heat after being induced by magnetic fields.

To produce heat, the researchers exposed the robot to a high-frequency alternating magnetic field. This caused magnetic materials inside the device to generate heat remotely, in an approach relevant to magnetic hyperthermia methods being explored in cancer treatment.

The team also evaluated the biocompatibility of the robot's materials by exposing them to human skin cells under laboratory conditions.

More than 99 percent of the cells remained viable after exposure to the robot's materials, similar to the control group, suggesting that the materials were largely non-toxic under the experimental conditions.

The team—including NTU's MAE alumnae Dr. Chelsea Shan Xian Ng and Ms. Yu Xuan Yeoh, and current Ph.D. student Nicholas Yong Wei Foo, who are co-authors of the research—is now exploring how future versions could be combined with imaging technologies, sensing systems and clinically realistic artificial organ models that better mimic the physical behavior of human tissues.

Assoc Prof Lum is also working with surgeons to understand how mini robotic systems could eventually fit into real clinical workflows.

"For these robots to move closer to practical use, we need to understand not just how they work in the lab, but how they could be guided, monitored and controlled in realistic medical settings," he added.

Giving independent comments, Dr. Yeong Leong Litt, Leonard, Senior Consultant from the Division of Neurology at the National University Hospital, said, "These millimeter-scale magnetically guided robots are truly remarkable in their ability to traverse complicated environments and then perform a variety of tasks such as deliver medication to a location, perform biopsies and administer therapeutic heat remotely.

"I can envision that they have the potential to replace many aspects of interventional radiological surgery and become a new mode of therapy in medicine."

The research project took seven years. A technology disclosure on this innovation has been filed through NTUitive, the University's innovation and enterprise company.

Provided by Nanyang Technological University

TECH

Torvalds tightens Linux kernel rules to reject deluge of low-value AI fixes

For about the past week, Linux kernel creator Linus Torvalds has been voicing complaints about "the continued flood of AI reports" making the list of security fixes unmanageable due to duplicate entries, and says it is now starting to choke the flow of new fixes in general due to the size of the Linux 7.1 Release Candidate 5 (rc5) becoming much larger than it should be. It's not that Torvalds has become strictly anti-AI, but rather that it's only good when it's actually helps.

AI bugs flood security lists...Torvalds states that security mailing lists have meanwhile become “almost completely unmanageable” due to large volumes of AI-generated reports. Often, different individuals using the same tools reportedly submit the exact same vulnerabilities. As a result, developers waste time forwarding reports or replying that an issue has already been resolved.

According to Torvalds, it makes little sense to continue handling these reports via private security lists, as AI tools often detect the same bugs all at once.

“Add real value”...While Torvalds does not reject AI tools, he emphasizes that they are only useful when they effectively contribute to development. He calls on developers not to simply forward automatically generated reports without an understanding of the codebase.

Instead, he expects contributors to read documentation, understand what the problem entails, and, if possible, provide a patch or solution immediately. Torvalds calls “drive-by” reports without technical knowledge a problem within the Linux community.

In addition to the criticism of AI, Torvalds reports that Linux 7.1-rc4 is otherwise a fairly normal release candidate. About half of the changes are again in drivers, with GPU updates being the largest component. Furthermore, the release includes changes for networking, file systems, architecture updates, and kernel functionality.

Last week, the problem was that AI tools were producing duplicate bug reports from different people, sometimes even finding issues that were already fixed. Even with AI working as intended, reckless use of it without due diligence results in lots of extra work for Torvalds and other people in charge of actually maintaining the kernel and picking what fixes or additions get added with each update.

This week, AI isn't the only culprit behind rc5 becoming so unreasonably large. The bulk of it is "trivial stuff" fixing or adding random drivers, according to Torvalds, which isn't traditionally the purpose of release candidate updates. Usually, release candidate updates are meant to address critical fixes, including security problems like SSH-keysign-pwn or Copy Fail and actual regressions in functionality. While AI can be (and is) blamed for a lot of minor fixes being stuffed into the release candidate window, the other problem is with the developers themselves focusing the tools on non-essential fixes.

As Linus points out, trivial fixes en masse are not conducive to long-term stability. Thus, as stated by Linus, developers are being implored to look closer at their pull requests and determine whether or not they're serious enough for late-cycle release candidate updates.

Linus Torvalds loses patience with AI-generated code fixes bloating the Linux kernel...Torvalds said that this release candidate is unsurprisingly bigger than RC5’s have historically been. However, he said he is “not entirely happy about it” because the bloat is being caused by “totally trivial stuff”. He said that he doesn’t think the churn is worth it at this point in the cycle and is now insisting that developers look more closely at their pull requests to see if they’re submitting a fix for a regression, or whether it shouldn’t just be included in the next cycle.

For those who are unaware, a Linux kernel cycle usually consists of seven release candidates, after which the new kernel is released ready for distribution maintainers to provide to their users. If things get delayed, we can see an eighth release candidate. This is why Torvalds is complaining about the size of RC5; at this stage he is expecting things to have quietened down, but that’s not happening thanks to the use of AI tools.

Going forward, the Linux founder says he will “start being a bit more hardnosed” about this unnecessary churn this late in the cycle. He said that at this point in the development, the objective is to look for regressions, not non-critical fixes to long-standing issues that should have been submitted earlier in the cycle.

In terms of the fixes this week, there are a bunch of file systems, graphics cards, memory management, networking, security and stability, and hardware. In the hardware fixes, there are bug fixes for the HP Pavilion Plus 14, ASUS Armoury, and the Lenovo Yoga 7 14AGP11.

mundophone

DIGITAL LIFE

Online age checks create a pointless privacy risk

New cybersecurity research indicates that one of the world's leading age verification providers collects and shares highly sensitive personal data—including facial photos and device fingerprints—with third parties. The research also reveals that most websites that require age verification don't enforce the policy.

Age verification is now required by many digital platforms worldwide, but most systems create new risks for user data and privacy. This article explores why document-based age verification exposes everyone to greater risk—and how privacy-prioritizing technology, like World ID, offers a safer path for consumers and platforms.

Earlier this month, a teenage girl tried to log into a popular social platform. The site asked for her driver's license, a selfie, and patience while they verified her age. Three days later, hackers stole her data along with 69,999 others.

Welcome to the age verification paradox: systems designed to protect minors end up exposing everyone.

Age barriers started simple—just click a box confirming you're 18. Common methods now require submitting actual identification documents, which is privacy-invasive. Why would you need to provide your driver's license to an online platform to watch a movie trailer?

Today, mainstream gaming platforms, social media networks, and adult websites have, or are considering, methods that result in the creation of databases of government identity documents and other personal data.

The challenging regulatory landscape...Regulators around the world are implementing rules aimed at keeping minors safe, but most of the available techniques that can scale have notable drawbacks. The current landscape includes:

Self-reported age: Easy to lie about, offers no real protection

Document upload: Presents enormous risks of data breach and exposure to identity theft

Age inference from selfies: Requires central storage of biometric data, often with human reviewers verifying the photos

Credit card authorization: Excludes young adults with no credit history and creates trails of financial data

CPF verification: Links online activity to government records, creating surveillance concerns and may not be available to those under 18

Each method trades one problem for another. Protecting minors should not mean jeopardizing everyone's data security.

The findings come from a new study, "Papers Please: A First Look at Age Verification on the Web," that researchers from the Georgia Institute of Technology and the University of California, Irvine (UC Irvine) presented on May 20 at the IEEE Symposium on Security and Privacy (SP 2026) conference in San Francisco.

The research team examined Yoti, a London-based company that provides age-verification services for an estimated 60% of websites that require it. Its client list includes Meta, OnlyFans, Sony PlayStation, and TikTok.

The research team determined that the process Yoti uses to verify a person's age broadcasts the person's personal information to third- and fourth-party companies.

When a bartender checks an ID, they quickly verify a customer's date of birth and identity before serving them. Companies like Yoti that employ digital age verification claim their products function the same way, but in a completely private manner.

That analogy has justified laws passed in 25 U.S. states—comprising more than 40% of Americans—mandating the use of digital age verification to gate access to social media and adult online content.

However, by measuring online age verification, researchers reveal that the reality of these systems is far from ideal. The study found that most sites covered by these laws do not appear to enforce age verification.

When sites comply, they force users to use third-party age-verification services like Yoti, which collect and share highly sensitive data with other third parties.

"There have been laws passed and court cases settled on the promise that these companies are incentivized to keep users' data private," said Assistant Professor Michael A. Specter at the School of Cybersecurity and Privacy. "We found that reality is starkly different."

Digital age verification laws are being considered by other legislative bodies to bar minors from social media sites. The problem, Specter and his colleagues argue, is that current methods of age verification are ineffective and create new privacy risks.

"In legal arguments, there have been comparisons to these services acting like a bartender checking IDs," said Specter. "However, what is really happening is the bartender is making photocopies of the patron's license and sending them to their food vendors."

According to the researchers, the data is then sent to credit card companies, IP geolocation services, and data brokers. The researchers found that the information being shared can be used to identify and track devices. For example, a single verification attempt may transmit a user's facial image, IP address, and device fingerprint to credit card companies.

Aside from privacy concerns, researchers note that differing state policies could lead to what they call the Balkanization of the U.S. web. In other words, users may have access to different parts of the internet depending on the state they are in. This will potentially limit the free exchange of ideas and information.

According to Assistant Professor Harry Oppenheimer of the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School of Public Policy, users are already accustomed to experiencing the internet differently across countries. However, this may signal the beginning of similar fragmentation within the United States.

"We are going to start seeing comparable differences between U.S. states," said Oppenheimer. "Users in some states will now have to go through additional steps to access information. Close your laptop in New York before a flight to Dallas and try to load the same web page—now you see two different results."

"We also observed age verification deployed on websites accessed from New York, which has no law requiring verification," said Associate Professor Paul Pearce of UC Irvine's Department of Computer Science.

"We don't know why these sites are deploying such verification—it could be a move to limit liability or simplify operations. Regardless, it points to an emerging threat for the open internet where restrictive laws from some states could impact the entire country and beyond."

"This is why we can't have nice things," Specter added.

Provided by Georgia Institute of Technology

HP

HP ZBook X G2i: Intel Panther Lake, Nvidia RTX Pro Blackwell 64GB and 120 Hz display

HP has finally started selling a new 16-inch laptop featuring ZBook X G2i processors. Also equipped with Nvidia RTX Pro Blackwell graphics and 64 GB of RAM, the ZBook X G2i comes with a massive 96 Wh battery and an optional 120 Hz display.

HP has quietly released the ZBook X G2i featuring Intel Panther Lake processors and Nvidia RTX Pro Blackwell graphics. To recap, the 16-inch laptop launched at the end of March. While the company revealed how the laptop surpassed the existing ZBook X G1i we reviewed last year (curr. $2,659 on Amazon), it refrained from confirming how much the ZBook X G2i would cost.

Intel® Core™ Ultra Processor...Unleash power-efficient performance with Intel® Core™ Ultra 9 processors (Series 3).3 This CPU with up to Intel Arc Pro graphics and dedicated Copilot+ NPU unlocks new levels of performance for the next era of AI-enhanced software and greatly increases efficiency for productivity tasks.

NVIDIA® Graphics...Experience high-end visualization and seamlessly multi-task on your biggest projects, now with up to an NVIDIA RTX PRO™ 3000 Blackwell GPU4 certified for pro apps.

Large Memory...Power through projects now with 2x the memory gen-over-gen, up to 128GB RAM5 for fast, powerful performance.

Now, HP has revealed that the ZBook X G2i costs a minimum of $3,609 in the US. As far as we can tell, the new laptop has not yet reached other markets like the Eurozone or the UK. Currently, HP has listed seven SKUs priced up to $10,431, which are as follows:

Intel Core Ultra 5 336H, 16 GB RAM, 512 GB SSD, no discrete GPU, IPS 1200p/400 nit/60 Hz display - $5,435

Intel Core Ultra 7 356H, 32 GB RAM, 512 GB SSD, Nvidia RTX Pro 500 Blackwell (6 GB), IPS 1200p/400 nit/60 Hz display - $5,435

Intel Core Ultra 7 356H, 32 GB RAM, 1 TB SSD, Nvidia RTX Pro 500 Blackwell (6 GB), IPS 1200p/400 nit/60 Hz display - $5,855

Intel Core Ultra 9 356H, 32 GB RAM, 1 TB SSD, Nvidia RTX Pro 1000 Blackwell (8 GB), IPS 1200p/400 nit/60 Hz display - $6,281

Intel Core Ultra 7 356H, 64 GB RAM, 1 TB SSD, Nvidia RTX Pro 1000 Blackwell (8 GB), IPS 1200p/400 nit/60 Hz display - $8,004

Intel Core Ultra 7 366H, 64 GB RAM, 1 TB SSD, Nvidia RTX Pro 2000 Blackwell (8 GB), IPS 1600p/400 nit/120 Hz display - $8,591

Intel Core Ultra 9 386H, 64 GB RAM, 2 TB SSD, Nvidia RTX Pro 1000 Blackwell (8 GB), IPS 1200p/400 nit/60 Hz display - $10,431

Additionally, B&H Photo Video is offering a configuration for $4,298 with a Core Ultra 7 366H processor, 32 GB of RAM, a 1 TB SSD and an Nvidia GeForce RTX Pro 1000 dGPU. The retailer has not confirmed what display comes with this configuration, though.

HP estimates that it will begin shipping orders on July 3 within the US. All configurations feature a 96 Wh battery, too. Unfortunately, pricing and availability for other markets remain unknown at this stage. Please see HP's website for more details.

mundophone

TECH

Laser-powered engines may soon support 'intelligent' 6G networks

In a step toward developing next-generation, AI-enabled 6G wireless networks, scientists have demonstrated a laser-driven engine made from an easy-to-manufacture ceramic material that uses white light to move information over large distances. While conventional LED-based visible light communication (VLC) systems typically operate over only a few meters, the novel photonic engine—described in a study published in Matter—can move data over 1.2 kilometers.

"This is really a record with attractive performance beyond the traditional technology," says Zhiguo Xia of South China University of Technology in Guangzhou, China.

What 6G could make possible....Current 5G wireless networks work like highways through which information moves at high speeds, allowing for fast communication. 6G networks built into future smartphones and other objects such as streetlamps would not only allow information to move through networks an order of magnitude faster—they would be able to "see," "hear," and "think," detecting people and objects and their subtle movements.

Since 6G networks would incorporate data from satellites fixed low in Earth's orbit, they could even provide high-speed coverage in tough-to-reach regions such as deserts, oceans, and mountains.

However, scientists have faced barriers to developing 6G technology, including the need for ultra-dense base stations with high energy and infrastructure costs, as well as challenges in combining high-performance lighting materials and high-speed photodetectors into compact devices that can be mass-produced at low cost.

A laser-powered photonic engine...To address these challenges, Xia's team developed a photonic engine powered by lasers that can transfer large amounts of data over long distances by emitting high-quality white light—qualities that place it at the forefront of laser lighting technologies.

The findings offer direct experimental evidence supporting 6G communications technology, which so far has existed "largely at the visionary level," says Xia, potentially helping make a "paradigm shift from connection to intelligent connection possible."

"This work also provides compelling experimental support for the application of laser lighting in scenarios such as drone logistics and low-altitude air travel," says Xia.

How the ceramic material works...The researchers developed a low-cost technique for making the laser-powered engine's ceramic material by mixing calcium ions with a powder of chemical compounds used to make glass, which eliminates the need for high-pressure manufacturing equipment.

The ceramic transfers heat about 20 times more efficiently than traditionally used silicone resins, enabling the material to withstand more laser power than other laser-driven technologies.

Limitations and next steps...The researchers note that the engine mainly emits light in the yellow region (500–650 nm) and lacks red components, limiting its use in applications requiring a very high color rendering index—a measure of an object's true color compared to natural sunlight. It also operates at far below fiber optic speeds.

To further develop the engine, the team plans to investigate light-emitting materials with shorter fluorescence lifetimes and tunable emission bandwidths, which can further speed up data rates. They also plan to integrate the laser system with radio-frequency systems to ensure that service continues during bad weather.

"AI-driven link adaptation can dynamically adjust data rate and optical power, ultimately supporting a future 6G network that is space-air-ground integrated, fully covered, and highly reliable," says Xia.

Provided by Cell Press

 

SAMSUNG

First Galaxy Z Fold 8 Wide screen protectors leak early

Fresh Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Wide leaks reveal the new, wider aspect ratio design via screen protectors we see for the first time. We can see a direct comparison to the Huawei Pura X Max, suggesting Samsung’s wide foldable will be narrower when closed and wider when opened.

New leaked images shared by one of the top smartphone tipsters provide a glimpse into the anticipated design of the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Wide. The photos showcase a tempered glass screen protector for the first time, emphasizing a significantly wider aspect ratio compared to previous Samsung foldables.

This leak(image below) reinforces the growing consensus that the "Wide" variant is intended to offer a more traditional, smartphone-like experience on the cover display while transitioning to a near-square 4:3 inner screen for tablet-like productivity.

The leakster has overlaid the screen guard with an image for illustration purposes. We can see a direct comparison of the Fold 8 Wide’s protector to that of the Huawei Pura X Max, suggesting Samsung’s wide foldable will be narrower when closed and wider when opened.

Previous reports have highlighted that the wider variant of the Z Fold 8 should feature a 5.4-inch cover display and a 7.6-inch inner panel. To achieve its sleek form factor, the phone is rumored to make compromises in the camera department, allegedly ditching the telephoto lens in favor of a dual-camera setup.

The Galaxy Z Fold 8 Wide is also expected to weigh around 210 grams, representing a significant improvement over the current Galaxy Z Fold 7's 215 grams.

But of course, the main highlight of the new foldable is undoubtedly its more square shape with a 4:3 aspect ratio, offering a tablet-like user experience while remaining extremely portable.

For now, Samsung is not commenting on this type of leak, but the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Wide has already had a large portion of its specifications leaked.

So, we now know that the device will feature a 7.6-inch main screen, Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy platform, 50 MP cameras, and One UI 9 with Android 17.

More of the same?...A new rumor reinforces that the Galaxy Z Fold 8 may arrive with fewer new features than expected. Apparently, the foldable and its supposed Wide variant should maintain the visible crease on the screen, in addition to leaving aside features that could make the phones more interesting, such as S Pen support and the privacy functions of the Galaxy S26 Ultra.

The details were shared by leaker Ice Universe, known for his accurate history of leaks in general, and suggest that the Galaxy Z Fold 8 will not bring noteworthy changes to the screen, which may be a disappointment for those who expected improvements in the new generation.

The informant specifically mentions that the foldable will continue without S Pen support, last present in the Galaxy Z Fold 6, and would not offer adjustments that would reduce the crease of the fold — an aspect that should make it much less competitive, considering that rivals such as the OPPO Find N6 and even the speculated iPhone Ultra have practically solved this issue.

Another absence that could make a difference is the privacy screen launched with the Galaxy S26 Ultra. Although there were no expectations of seeing the feature on the device, its inclusion could make the Z Fold 8 more attractive, as is already the case with the company's conventional phone.

There is another interesting point in the publication: Ice Universe implies that these "limitations" would also be present in the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Wide, the widescreen option in a small notebook format. If this is the case, the lack of the S Pen should be felt even more in this variant, whose design would favor the use of a stylus.

Galaxy Z Fold 8 Wide (Expected)

7.6-inch LTPO Dynamic AMOLED 2X internal screen with QXGA+ resolution

Punch-hole display with up to 120 Hz refresh rate

LTPO Dynamic AMOLED 2X external screen with FHD+ resolution

Punch-hole display with up to 120 Hz refresh rate

Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy processor

Dual front cameras:

10 MP internal lens (f/2.2)

10 MP external lens (f/2.2)

Dual rear cameras:

50 MP main lens (OIS, f/1.7)

50 MP ultrawide lens

5G connectivity, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6.0 and NFC

Stereo sound and IP48 certification

4,800 mAh battery with 45W charging

Android 17 with One UI 9.0

--mundophone--

DIGITAL LIFE

Why are data centers increasing temperatures in neighborhoods?

The rapid growth of data centers is driving localized artificial heat waves. A landmark study published in the Journal of Engineering for Sustainable Buildings and Cities has revealed that such facilities can raise ambient air temperatures in nearby neighborhoods by up to 4 degrees Fahrenheit (2 degrees Celsius), increasing the risks of urban heat islands.

In said study, researchers from Arizona State University investigated the thermal footprint of two large-scale operations in the tech hub cities of Mesa and Chandler, Arizona. The researchers attached high-precision, rapid-response air temperature sensors to vehicles, driving them through surrounding communities from June through October. By tracking real-time geographic and atmospheric conditions, the team discovered that data centers act as immense thermal engines. A single facility can generate more waste heat than the electrical consumption of 40,000 households combined.

This localized warming stems from how these data centers stay cool, whereby they utilize expansive air-cooled condenser arrays that continuously exhaust plumes of hot air that can be 14° to 25° F warmer than the surrounding atmosphere. Prevailing winds then carry this thermal pollution beyond the facilities' property lines, creating a downstream heat wake extending up to a third of a mile into residential zones. Across the monitoring period, downwind areas experienced average temperature increases between 1.3° and 1.6° F, with peak anomalies hitting the 4-degree mark.

Unwittingly, this artificial temperature increase also causes neighborhood residents to crank their home A/C units up. which then exhaust even more waste heat into the streets, while driving up overall electricity demand. This extra electricity consumption forces power grids to work harder, often increasing regional emissions and further straining energy infrastructure. For desert communities already grappling with severe public health risks from extreme weather, this localized effect could become a compounding feedback loop.

David Sailor, lead author of the study notes that these initial measurements likely represent a conservative estimate, too. The atmospheric footprint could vary drastically depending on seasonal weather shifts, and ongoing, non-peer-reviewed research suggests that under certain conditions, a data center’s heat island effect might ripple outward to a six-mile radius. As tech giants continue aggressively expanding infrastructure to meet the demands of artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and digital storage, the findings highlight an urgent need for urban planners to rethink zoning laws. 

“Heat islands”...The vast data centers that power artificial intelligence guzzle huge amounts of energy but they also have another alarming impact, according to new research. They are creating “heat islands,” warming the land around them by up to 16 degrees Fahrenheit, and making life hotter for more than 340 million people.

There are still big gaps in our understanding of the impacts of data centers, even as they boom in number, said Andrea Marinoni, associate professor with the Earth Observation group at the University of Cambridge, and an author of the study, which has not yet been peer-reviewed.

Marinoni and his colleagues decided to dig into one under-researched impact: the heat they release through their energy-intensive processes, including computation and powering cooling systems.

To do this, they looked at temperature data over the last 20 years from remote sensors and mapped it against the locations of AI “hyperscalers” — vast data centers that house thousands of servers and can stretch over a million square feet, which have mostly been built within the last decade.

They focused on more than 6,000 data centers located away from highly dense urban areas, as surface temperatures around these were less likely to have been affected by other factors, such as manufacturing or the heating of homes. The researchers also filtered out seasonal impacts, global warming trends and other influences.

They found surface temperatures increased by an average of 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit after a data center started operations. In extreme cases, nearby temperatures increase by up to 16.4 degrees Fahrenheit.

These increases were consistent across the globe, the researchers found. In Mexico’s Bajio region, for example, which has become a data center hub, the study found unexplained temperature rises of around 3.6 degrees over the last 20 years. A similar situation was seen in Aragon, Spain, a European center for hyperscale AI data centers, which recorded a temperature increase of 3.6 degrees which was not replicated in neighboring provinces.

Strikingly, the impacts weren’t limited to a data center’s immediate surroundings; temperature increases affected areas up to 6.2 miles away, the research found, affecting more than 340 million people.

The findings are particularly alarming, the scientists say, because AI data centers are set to boom over the next few years, and these temperature rises come as planet-warming pollution is already making heat waves more extreme around the world.

The planned scale up of data centers “could have dramatic impacts on society” in terms of the environment, people’s welfare and the economy, Marinoni said.

Deborah Andrews, emeritus professor of design for sustainability and circularity at London South Bank University, who was not involved in the research, said there are plenty of concerns over the impacts of data centers but this was the first paper she’d seen focusing on the heat they produce.

“The ‘rush for AI-gold’ appears to be overriding good practice and systemic thinking,” she said, “and is developing far more rapidly than any broader, more sustainable systems.”

Other experts say more research is needed to verify the results. The study provides “some interesting figures” but the effects reported “seem very high,” said Ralph Hintemann, a senior researcher at the Borderstep Institute for Innovation and Sustainability. “As far as climate change is concerned, the emissions generated by power generation for data centres remain the more alarming aspect,” he added.

Marinoni wants the research to spark more discussion about how to reduce AI’s impacts. “There still might be time to consider the possibility of a different path … without affecting the demand of AI and its ability to provide progress for mankind,” he added.

mundophone