Data centers have stirred a lot of discussion and controversy lately. Let’s take a look at the science behind the controversy.

Hyperscale data centers are the largest. They are in huge warehouse-like buildings of 100 thousand square feet or more covering acres of land. They contain thousands of servers and use electric power exceeding 100 megawatts. Hyperscale data centers can use more electricity then small cities and demand millions of gallons of water a day for cooling. The massive electric and water use have an environmental impact.

In this episode we look at the science behind large data centers with two data center experts.

An outbreak of cyclosporiasis is making people sick. As of July 28th the illness has spread to 45 states. Cyclosporiasis is caused by a parasite called cyclospora. There are between 500 and 1000 confirmed cases in Ohio. According to reporting by the Center for Disease Control there have been more than 67-hundred cases since May First. Many cases are traced back to iceberg lettuce grown by Taylor Farms coming from Mexico. Tracing of the sources and the spread of the outbreak is ongoing with cases sure to increase. It’s sent 423 people to the hospital but so far no deaths are reported.

Credits

Music by Radio Direct

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Thanks to SciLine, a non-profit based at the American Association for the advancement of Science for production assistance. Learn more at https://www.sciline.org/about/

Dr. Kalmia Kniel, Professor in the Department of Animal and Food Sciences at the University of Delaware

Epidemiologist and Professor in the Division of Environmental Health Sciences at the University of Minnesota, Dr. Craig Hedberg has spent much of his career investigating outbreaks and training others on better investigative techniques.

At the time my late wife, Charlotte and I met in 1989 I was struggling to find a path in the world. Charlotte was kind and smart and beautiful and I thought she might help steady me and help me get headed in the right direction.

When you're first dating someone you learn a lot about them. You learn about their family, their friends, their job and the kind of music they like. Charlotte was six years younger then me and liked a lot of punk and new wave from the late 70 and early 80s. My musical tastes skewed older. There was a lot of overlap in what we both enjoyed, especially The Rolling Stones, The Who, The Kinks, and The Small Faces.

We both liked singer-songwriter Warren Zevon. I was really happy to find out she liked him. Warren Zevon’s biggest hit was 1978’s quirky “Werewolves of London”. Some people dislike his songs because of his sometimes dark and strange lyrics but Charlotte and I instantly bonded over our love for his music. We have 5 CDs of his studio recordings and two anthology box sets. Maybe not everything he recorded but a lot.

Throughout the 1990s Zevon appeared numerous times on David Letterman’s show, even sitting in as bandleader once when Paul Shaffer was away on a movie shoot. Every time Zevon was on, we were sure to tune in.

On November 8, 2025 Letterman inducted Zevon into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.