The Hidden Backbone

The internet feels weightless and instant, but it runs on massive physical infrastructure you never see. Data centers the size of football fields house millions of servers, and they generate so much heat that some companies build them in Arctic regions to cut cooling costs by as much as 40%.

The electricity demand is staggering. Global data centers consume roughly 200 terawatt-hours annually — more than some entire countries use. A single large facility can draw as much power as a small city.