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Re:Microsoft's underwater data centre resurfaces after two y... by mc32 on Monday September 14, 2020 @01:59PM (#24473107)
There are hot thermal vents and underwater volcanoes throughout the oceans. Creatures adapt. The oceans are huge. Yes, if they place them in ecologically fragile environments that would be a problem —the solution is put them offshore where they don’t bother anything.
Re:Microsoft's underwater data centre resurfaces after two y... by falcolas on Monday September 14, 2020 @02:09PM (#24473214)
> Creatures adapt.

You're missing half the saying. Creatures adapt, or die. Given the recent articles about how species extermination is accelerating, it's a valid assumption that as many are dying as are adapting.

Not to mention, oceanic currents are propelled by heat. Changing that balance (whether by man-made resources or natural sources) could change the currents, which would impact coastal weather patterns.

https://e360.yale.edu/features/will_climate_change_jam_the_g...

Re:Microsoft's underwater data centre resurfaces after two y... by scrollaway on Monday September 14, 2020 @02:15PM (#24473279)
Far more of earth is covered by oceans than by land. Why are these questions more relevant when building an underwater DC than a ground-level one?
Re:Microsoft's underwater data centre resurfaces after two y... by falcolas on Monday September 14, 2020 @02:30PM (#24473440)
They're not more relevant, but they are equally relevant.

This is adding the ocean as a new layer in the overall heat dissipation stack for datacenter computing; it's impacting a whole new ecosystem that it wasn't before. Thus, we need to be asking these kinds of questions about how this will impact oceanic ecosystems.

Re:Microsoft's underwater data centre resurfaces after two y... by mc32 on Monday September 14, 2020 @02:32PM (#24473465)
It is adding... the question is how much compared to natural systems that add heat to the oceans already (in addition to sunlight, thermal vents, oceanic fissures, underwater volcanoes, etc.) is it significant or is it insignificant?
Re:Microsoft's underwater data centre resurfaces after two y... by falcolas on Monday September 14, 2020 @02:36PM (#24473504)
> is it significant or is it insignificant

Then a study (ideally multiple studies) should be commissioned to find this out. We shouldn't just do it because we can, and because armchair physicists are pretty sure that it's insignificant.

Because, that's what Microsoft (and their partner) did. They did it because they could.

Remember when we, as a global society, believed that CFCs would have an insignificant impact on the environment? I do. Perhaps we should tread a bit more lightly when we're already running into species extinction and global climate change issues.

Re:Microsoft's underwater data centre resurfaces after two y... by mc32 on Monday September 14, 2020 @02:51PM (#24473674)
I doubt these would add more heat than a single new volcano does, but I’m all ears. According to research[1] tectonic activity adds about 3 cubic km of magma/lava each year to the oceans (that’s 100 times the annual production by mauna loa.)

[1] http://volcano.oregonstate.edu/book/export/html/138

Re:Microsoft's underwater data centre resurfaces after two y... by falcolas on Monday September 14, 2020 @03:29PM (#24474115)
This sounds a whole lot like the "global warming couldn't possibly be our fault (because: volcanoes) so let's not change anything" line of thinking, just applied to oceans instead of the atmosphere.

In which case, we'll just end up talking past each other, so I'll wish you a good day.

Re:Microsoft's underwater data centre resurfaces after two y... by mc32 on Monday September 14, 2020 @03:36PM (#24474189)
This is only heat. Unless it’s releasing unbeknownst to me greenhouse liquids or gasses, it’s not the same argument.
Re:Microsoft's underwater data centre resurfaces after two y... by nwienert on Monday September 14, 2020 @03:55PM (#24474381)
Sounds like a good ~2050 startup, a company that plugs volcanoes to sell green credits for underwater server farms ;)
Re:Microsoft's underwater data centre resurfaces after two y... by mc32 on Monday September 14, 2020 @04:02PM (#24474461)
Unfortunately for their scheme magma would find a weakness in the crust somewhere...
Re:Microsoft's underwater data centre resurfaces after two y... by midev on Monday September 14, 2020 @02:27PM (#24473415)
They're not? People have asked these questions for decades, hence why they're exploring new options....