Jun 05, 2025Ravie LakshmananNetwork Security / Vulnerability Cisco has released security patches to address a critical security flaw impacting the Identity Services Engine (ISE) that, if successfully exploited, could allow unauthenticated actors to carry out malicious actions on susceptible systems. The security defect, tracked as CVE-2025-20286, carries a CVSS score of 9.9 out of 10.0. It has been described as a static credential vulnerability. "A vulnerability in Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, and Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) cloud deployments of Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to access sensitive data, execute limited administrative operations, modify system configurations, or disrupt services within the impacted systems," the company said in an advisory. The networking equipment maker, which credited Kentaro Kawane of GMO Cybersecurity for reporting the flaw, noted it's aware of the existence of a proof-of-concept (PoC) exploit. There is no evidence that it has been maliciously exploited in the wild. Cisco said the issue stems from the fact that credentials are improperly generated when Cisco ISE is being deployed on cloud platforms, causing different deployments to share the same credentials as long as the software release and cloud platform are the same. Put differently, the static credentials are specific to each release and platform, but are not valid across platforms. As the company highlights, all instances of Cisco ISE release 3.1 on AWS will have the same static credentials. However, credentials that are valid for access to a release 3.1 deployment would not be valid to access a release 3.2 deployment on the same platform. Furthermore, Release 3.2 on AWS would not have the same credentials as Release 3.2 on Azure. Successful exploitation of the vulnerability could permit an attacker to extract the user credentials from the Cisco ISE cloud deployment and then use it to access Cisco ISE deployed in other cloud environments through unsecured ports. This could ultimately allow unauthorized access to sensitive data, execution of limited administrative operations, changes to system configurations, or service disruptions. That said, Cisco ISE is only affected in cases where the Primary Administration node is deployed in the cloud. Primary Administration nodes that are on-premises are not impacted. The following versions are affected - AWS - Cisco ISE 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, and 3.4 Azure - Cisco ISE 3.2, 3.3, and 3.4 OCI - Cisco ISE 3.2, 3.3, and 3.4 While there are no workarounds to address CVE-2025-20286, Cisco is recommending that users restrict traffic to authorized administrators or run the "application reset-config ise" command to reset user passwords to a new value. However, it bears noting that running the command will reset Cisco ISE to the factory configuration. Found this article interesting? Follow us on Twitter  and LinkedIn to read more exclusive content we post. SHARE    

There’s an artist in everyone. Some bring their ideas to life with digital tools, others capture the perfect moment with a camera or love to grab pen and paper to create little doodles or pieces of lettering. And even if you think you’re far from being an artist, well, why not explore it? It might just be hidden somewhere deep inside of you. For more than 14 years already our monthly wallpapers series has been the perfect opportunity to do just that: to break out of your daily routine and get fully immersed in a creative little project. This month is no exception, of course. For this post, artists and designers from across the globe once again put their creative skills to the test and designed beautiful, unique, and inspiring desktop wallpapers to accompany you through the new month. You’ll find their artworks compiled below, along with a selection of June favorites from our wallpapers archives that are just too good to be forgotten. A huge thank-you to everyone who shared their designs with us this time around — you’re smashing! If you, too, would like to get featured in one of our next wallpapers posts, please don’t hesitate to submit your design. We can’t wait to see what you’ll come up with! You can click on every image to see a larger preview. We respect and carefully consider the ideas and motivation behind each and every artist’s work. This is why we give all artists the full freedom to explore their creativity and express emotions and experience through their works. This is also why the themes of the wallpapers weren’t anyhow influenced by us but rather designed from scratch by the artists themselves. June Is For Nature “In this illustration, Earth is planting a little tree — taking care, smiling, doing its part. It’s a reminder that even small acts make a difference. Since World Environment Day falls in June, there’s no better time to give back to the planet.” — Designed by Ginger IT Solutions from Serbia. preview with calendar: 320x480, 640x480, 800x480, 800x600, 1024x768, 1024x1024, 1152x864, 1280x720, 1280x800, 1280x960, 1280x1020, 1400x1050, 1440x900, 1600x1200, 1680x1050, 1680x1200, 1920x1080, 1920x1200, 1920x1440, 2560x1440 without calendar: 320x480, 640x480, 800x480, 800x600, 1024x768, 1024x1024, 1152x864, 1280x720, 1280x800, 1280x960, 1280x1020, 1400x1050, 1440x900, 1600x1200, 1680x1050, 1680x1200, 1920x1080, 1920x1200, 1920x1440, 2560x1440 Tastes Of June “A vibrant June wallpaper featuring strawberries and fresh oranges, capturing the essence of early summer with bright colors and seasonal charm.” — Designed by Libra Fire from Serbia. preview with calendar: 320x480, 640x480, 800x480, 800x600, 1024x768, 1024x1024, 1152x864, 1280x720, 1280x800, 1280x960, 1280x1024, 1366x768, 1400x1050, 1440x900, 1600x1200, 1680x1050, 1680x1200, 1920x1080, 1920x1200, 1920x1440, 2560x1440 without calendar: 320x480, 640x480, 800x480, 800x600, 1024x768, 1024x1024, 1152x864, 1280x720, 1280x800, 1280x960, 1280x1024, 1366x768, 1400x1050, 1440x900, 1600x1200, 1680x1050, 1680x1200, 1920x1080, 1920x1200, 1920x1440, 2560x1440 A Bibliophile’s Shelf “Some of my favorite things to do are reading and listening to music. I know that there are a lot of people that also enjoy these hobbies, so I thought it would be a perfect thing to represent in my wallpaper.” — Designed by Cecelia Otis from the United States. preview with calendar: 320x480, 640x480, 800x480, 800x600, 1024x768, 1024x1024, 1152x864, 1280x720, 1280x800, 1280x960, 1280x1024, 1400x1050, 1440x900, 1600x1200, 1680x1050, 1680x1200, 1920x1200, 1920x1440, 2560x1440 without calendar: 320x480, 640x480, 800x480, 800x600, 1024x768, 1024x1024, 1152x864, 1280x720, 1280x800, 1280x960, 1280x1024, 1400x1050, 1440x900, 1600x1200, 1680x1050, 1680x1200, 1920x1200, 1920x1440, 2560x1440 Solana “Spanish origin, meaning ‘sunshine’.” — Designed by Bhabna Basak from India. preview with calendar: 1440x900, 1600x1200, 1680x1050, 1680x1200, 1920x1080, 1920x1200, 1920x1440, 2560x1440 without calendar: 1440x900, 1600x1200, 1680x1050, 1680x1200, 1920x1080, 1920x1200, 1920x1440, 2560x1440 Here Comes The Sun Designed by Ricardo Gimenes from Spain. preview with calendar: 640x480, 800x480, 800x600, 1024x768, 1024x1024, 1152x864, 1280x720, 1280x800, 1280x960, 1280x1024, 1366x768, 1400x1050, 1440x900, 1600x1200, 1680x1050, 1680x1200, 1920x1080, 1920x1200, 1920x1440, 2560x1440, 3840x2160 without calendar: 640x480, 800x480, 800x600, 1024x768, 1024x1024, 1152x864, 1280x720, 1280x800, 1280x960, 1280x1024, 1366x768, 1400x1050, 1440x900, 1600x1200, 1680x1050, 1680x1200, 1920x1080, 1920x1200, 1920x1440, 2560x1440, 3840x2160 Nature’s Melody “With eyes closed and music on, she blends into the rhythm of the earth, where every note breathes nature.” — Designed by Design Studio from India. preview with calendar: 800x600, 1280x1024, 1600x1200, 1680x1200, 1920x1080, 1920x1200, 1920x1440, 2560x1440 without calendar: 800x600, 1280x1024, 1600x1200, 1680x1200, 1920x1080, 1920x1200, 1920x1440, 2560x1440 Silent Glimmer “In the hush of shadows, a single amber eye pierces the dark — silent, watchful, eternal.” — Designed by Kasturi Palmal from India. preview with calendar: 800x600, 1280x1024, 1600x1200, 1680x1200, 1920x1080, 1920x1200, 1920x1440, 2560x1440 without calendar: 800x600, 1280x1024, 1600x1200, 1680x1200, 1920x1080, 1920x1200, 1920x1440, 2560x1440 Ice Cream “To me, ice cream is one of the most iconic symbols of summer. So, what better way to represent the first month of summer than through an iconic summer snack.” — Designed by Danielle May from Pennsylvania, United States. preview with calendar: 640x480, 800x480, 800x600, 1024x768, 1024x1024, 1152x864, 1280x720, 1280x800, 1280x960, 1280x1024, 1400x1050, 1440x900, 1600x1200, 1680x1050, 1680x1200, 1920x1080, 1920x1200, 1920x1440, 2560x1440 without calendar: 640x480, 800x480, 800x600, 1024x768, 1024x1024, 1152x864, 1280x720, 1280x800, 1280x960, 1280x1024, 1400x1050, 1440x900, 1600x1200, 1680x1050, 1680x1200, 1920x1080, 1920x1200, 1920x1440, 2560x1440 Silly Cats “I really loved the fun content aware effect and wanted to play around with it for this wallpaper with some cute cats.” — Designed by Italia Storey from the United States. preview with calendar: 320x480, 640x480, 800x480, 800x600, 1024x768, 1024x1024, 1152x864, 1280x720, 1280x800, 1280x960, 1280x1024, 1366x768, 1400x1050, 1440x900, 1600x1200, 1680x1050, 1680x1200, 1920x1080, 1920x1200, 1920x1440, 2560x1440 without calendar: 320x480, 640x480, 800x480, 800x600, 1024x768, 1024x1024, 1152x864, 1280x720, 1280x800, 1280x960, 1280x1024, 1366x768, 1400x1050, 1440x900, 1600x1200, 1680x1050, 1680x1200, 1920x1080, 1920x1200, 1920x1440, 2560x1440 In Case Of Nothing To Do Designed by Ricardo Gimenes from Spain. preview with calendar: 640x480, 800x480, 800x600, 1024x768, 1024x1024, 1152x864, 1280x720, 1280x800, 1280x960, 1280x1024, 1366x768, 1400x1050, 1440x900, 1600x1200, 1680x1050, 1680x1200, 1920x1080, 1920x1200, 1920x1440, 2560x1440, 3840x2160 without calendar: 640x480, 800x480, 800x600, 1024x768, 1024x1024, 1152x864, 1280x720, 1280x800, 1280x960, 1280x1024, 1366x768, 1400x1050, 1440x900, 1600x1200, 1680x1050, 1680x1200, 1920x1080, 1920x1200, 1920x1440, 2560x1440, 3840x2160 Pink Hours “With long-lasting days, it is pleasant to spend hours walking at dusk. This photo was taken in an illuminated garden.” — Designed by Philippe Brouard from France. preview with calendar: 1024x768, 1366x768, 1600x1200, 1920x1080, 1920x1200, 2560x1440, 2560x1600, 2880x1800 without calendar: 1024x768, 1366x768, 1600x1200, 1920x1080, 1920x1200, 2560x1440, 2560x1600, 2880x1800 What’s The Best That Could Happen? Designed by Grace DiNella from Doylestown, PA, United States. preview with calendar: 320x480, 640x480, 800x480, 1024x768, 1024x1024, 1152x864, 1280x720, 1280x800, 1280x960, 1280x1024, 1400x900, 1400x1050, 1680x1050, 1680x1200, 1920x1080, 1920x1200, 1920x1440, 2560x1440 without calendar: 320x480, 640x480, 800x480, 1024x768, 1024x1024, 1152x864, 1280x720, 1280x800, 1280x960, 1280x1024, 1400x900, 1400x1050, 1680x1050, 1680x1200, 1920x1080, 1920x1200, 1920x1440, 2560x1440 Purrsuit “Recently I have been indulging in fishing as a means of a hobby, and the combined peace and thrill of the activity inspires me. I also love cats, so I thought combining the two subjects would make a stellar wallpaper, especially considering that these two topics already fall hand in hand with each other!” — Designed by Lilianna Damian from Scranton, PA, United States. preview with calendar: 640x480, 800x480, 800x600, 1024x768, 1024x1024, 1152x864, 1280x720, 1280x800, 1280x960, 1280x1024, 1400x1050, 1440x900, 1600x1200, 1680x1050, 1680x1200, 1920x1080, 1920x1200, 1920x1440, 2560x1440 without calendar: 640x480, 800x480, 800x600, 1024x768, 1024x1024, 1152x864, 1280x720, 1280x800, 1280x960, 1280x1024, 1400x1050, 1440x900, 1600x1200, 1680x1050, 1680x1200, 1920x1080, 1920x1200, 1920x1440, 2560x1440 Happy Best Friends Day! “Today’s all about celebrating the ones who laugh with us, cry with us, and always have our backs — our best friends. Whether it’s been years or just a few months, every moment with them means something special. Tag your ride-or-die, your soul sibling, your partner in crime - and let them know just how much they mean to you.” — Designed by PopArt Studio from Serbia. preview with calendar: 320x480, 640x480, 800x480, 800x600, 1024x768, 1024x1024, 1152x864, 1280x720, 1280x800, 1280x960, 1280x1024, 1400x1050, 1440x900, 1600x1200, 1680x1050, 1680x1200, 1920x1080, 1920x1200, 1920x1440, 2560x1440 without calendar: 320x480, 640x480, 800x480, 800x600, 1024x768, 1024x1024, 1152x864, 1280x720, 1280x800, 1280x960, 1280x1024, 1400x1050, 1440x900, 1600x1200, 1680x1050, 1680x1200, 1920x1080, 1920x1200, 1920x1440, 2560x1440 Travel Time “June is our favorite time of the year because the keenly anticipated sunny weather inspires us to travel. Stuck at the airport, waiting for our flight but still excited about wayfaring, we often start dreaming about the new places we are going to visit. Where will you travel to this summer? Wherever you go, we wish you a pleasant journey!” — Designed by PopArt Studio from Serbia. preview without calendar: 320x480, 640x480, 800x480, 800x600, 1024x768, 1024x1024, 1152x864, 1280x720, 1280x800, 1280x960, 1280x1024, 1400x1050, 1440x900, 1600x1200, 1680x1050, 1680x1200, 1920x1080, 1920x1200, 1920x1440, 2560x1440 Summer Coziness “I’ve waited for this summer more than I waited for any other summer since I was a kid. I dream of watermelon, strawberries, and lots of colors.” — Designed by Kate Jameson from the United States. preview without calendar: 320x480, 1024x1024, 1280x720, 1680x1200, 1920x1080, 2560x1440 Deep Dive “Summer rains, sunny days, and a whole month to enjoy. Dive deep inside your passions and let them guide you.” — Designed by Ana Masnikosa from Belgrade, Serbia. preview without calendar: 320x480, 640x480, 800x480, 800x600, 1024x768, 1024x1024, 1152x864, 1280x720, 1280x800, 1280x960, 1280x1024, 1400x1050, 1440x900, 1600x1200, 1680x1050, 1680x1200, 1920x1080, 1920x1200, 1920x1440, 2560x1440 All-Seeing Eye Designed by Ricardo Gimenes from Spain. preview without calendar: 640x480, 800x480, 800x600, 1024x768, 1024x1024, 1152x864, 1280x720, 1280x800, 1280x960, 1280x1024, 1366x768, 1400x1050, 1440x900, 1600x1200, 1680x1050, 1680x1200, 1920x1080, 1920x1200, 1920x1440, 2560x1440, 3840x2160 Join The Wave “The month of warmth and nice weather is finally here. We found inspiration in the World Oceans Day which occurs on June 8th and celebrates the wave of change worldwide. Join the wave and dive in!” — Designed by PopArt Studio from Serbia. preview without calendar: 320x480, 640x480, 800x480, 800x600, 1024x768, 1024x1024, 1152x864, 1280x720, 1280x800, 1280x960, 1280x1024, 1366x768, 1400x1050, 1440x900, 1600x1200, 1680x1050, 1680x1200, 1920x1080, 1920x1200, 1920x1440, 2560x1440 Create Your Own Path “Nice weather has arrived! Clean the dust off your bike and explore your hometown from a different angle! Invite a friend or loved one and share the joy of cycling. Whether you decide to go for a city ride or a ride in nature, the time spent on a bicycle will make you feel free and happy. So don’t wait, take your bike and call your loved one because happiness is greater only when it is shared. Happy World Bike Day!” — Designed by PopArt Studio from Serbia. preview without calendar: 320x480, 640x480, 800x480, 800x600, 1024x768, 1024x1024, 1152x864, 1280x720, 1280x800, 1280x960, 1280x1024, 1366x768, 1400x1050, 1440x900, 1600x1200, 1680x1050, 1680x1200, 1920x1080, 1920x1200, 1920x1440, 2560x1440 Oh, The Places You Will Go! “In celebration of high school and college graduates ready to make their way in the world!” — Designed by Bri Loesch from the United States. preview without calendar: 320x480, 1024x768, 1280x1024, 1440x900, 1680x1050, 1680x1200, 1920x1440, 2560x1440 Merry-Go-Round Designed by Xenia Latii from Germany. preview without calendar: 320x480, 640x480, 800x480, 800x600, 1024x768, 1152x864, 1280x720, 1280x800, 1280x960, 1280x1024, 1366x768, 1400x1050, 1440x900, 1600x1200, 1680x1050, 1680x1200, 1920x1080, 1920x1200, 1920x1440, 2560x1440 Summer Surf “Summer vibes…” — Designed by Antun Hirsman from Croatia. preview without calendar: 640x480, 1152x864, 1280x1024, 1440x900, 1680x1050, 1920x1080, 1920x1440, 2650x1440 Expand Your Horizons “It’s summer! Go out, explore, expand your horizons!” — Designed by Dorvan Davoudi from Canada. preview without calendar: 800x480, 800x600, 1024x1024, 1152x864, 1280x720, 1280x800, 1280x960, 1280x1024, 1366x768, 1400x1050, 1440x900, 1600x1200, 1680x1050, 1680x1200, 1920x1080, 1920x1200, 1920x1440, 2560x1440 Gravity Designed by Elise Vanoorbeek from Belgium. preview without calendar: 1024x768, 1024x1024, 1152x864, 1280x720, 1280x800, 1280x960, 1280x1024, 1366x768, 1400x1050, 1440x900, 1600x1200, 1680x1050, 1680x1200, 1920x1080, 1920x1200, 1920x1440, 2560x1440 Yoga Is A Light, Which Once Lit, Will Never Dim “You cannot always control what goes on outside. You can always control what goes on inside. Breathe free, live and let your body feel the vibrations and positiveness that you possess inside you. Yoga can rejuvenate and refresh you and ensure that you are on the journey from self to the self. Happy International Yoga Day!” — Designed by Acodez IT Solutions from India. preview without calendar: 320x480, 640x480, 800x480, 800x600, 1024x768, 1024x1024, 1152x864, 1280x720, 1280x960, 1280x1024, 1366x768, 1400x1050, 1440x900, 1600x1200, 1680x1050, 1680x1200, 1920x1080, 1920x1200, 1920x1440, 2560x1440 Evolution “We’ve all grown to know the month of June through different life stages. From toddlers to adults with children, we’ve enjoyed the weather with rides on our bikes. As we evolve, so do our wheels!” — Designed by Jason Keist from the United States. preview without calendar: 320x480, 800x600, 768x1024, 1280x800, 1280x1024, 1440x900, 1920x1080, 2560x1440 Summer Party Designed by Ricardo Gimenes from Spain. preview without calendar: 640x480, 800x480, 800x600, 1024x768, 1024x1024, 1152x864, 1280x720, 1280x800, 1280x960, 1280x1024, 1366x768, 1400x1050, 1440x900, 1600x1200, 1680x1050, 1680x1200, 1920x1080, 1920x1200, 1920x1440, 2560x1440, 3840x2160 Splash Designed by Ricardo Gimenes from Spain. preview without calendar: 640x480, 800x480, 800x600, 1024x768, 1024x1024, 1152x864, 1280x720, 1280x800, 1280x960, 1280x1024, 1366x768, 1400x1050, 1440x900, 1600x1200, 1680x1050, 1680x1200, 1920x1080, 1920x1200, 1920x1440, 2560x1440, 3840x2160 Reef Days “June brings the start of summer full of bright colors, happy memories, and traveling. What better way to portray the goodness of summer than through an ocean folk art themed wallpaper. This statement wallpaper gives me feelings of summer and I hope to share that same feeling with others.” — Designed by Taylor Davidson from Kentucky. preview without calendar: 480x800, 1024x1024, 1242x2208, 1280x1024 Solstice Sunset “June 21 marks the longest day of the year for the Northern Hemisphere — and sunsets like these will be getting earlier and earlier after that!” — Designed by James Mitchell from the United Kingdom. preview without calendar: 1280x720, 1280x800, 1366x768, 1440x900, 1680x1050, 1920x1080, 1920x1200, 2560x1440, 2880x1800 Wildlife Revival “This planet is the home that we share with all other forms of life and it is our obligation and sacred duty to protect it.” — Designed by LibraFire from Serbia. preview without calendar: 320x480, 640x480, 800x480, 800x600, 1024x768, 1024x1024, 1152x864, 1280x720, 1280x800, 1280x960, 1280x1024, 1366x768, 1400x1050, 1440x900, 1600x1200, 1680x1050, 1680x1200, 1920x1080, 1920x1200, 1920x1440, 2560x1440 Pineapple Summer Pop “I love creating fun and feminine illustrations and designs. I was inspired by juicy tropical pineapples to celebrate the start of summer.” — Designed by Brooke Glaser from Honolulu, Hawaii. preview without calendar: 640x480, 800x600, 1024x768, 1152x720, 1280x720, 1280x800, 1280x960, 1366x768, 1440x900, 1680x1050, 1920x1080, 1920x1200, 1920x1440, 2560x1440 Handmade Pony Gone Wild “This piece was inspired by the My Little Pony cartoon series. Because those ponies irritated me so much as a kid, I always wanted to create a bad-ass pony.” — Designed by Zaheed Manuel from South Africa. preview without calendar: 800x600, 1024x768, 1280x960, 1280x1024, 1680x1050, 1920x1200, 2560x1440, 2880x1800 Window Of Opportunity “‘Look deep into nature and then you will understand everything better,’ A.E.” — Designed by Antun Hiršman from Croatia. preview without calendar: 1024x768, 1280x960, 1366x768, 1440x900, 1600x1200, 1680x1200, 1920x1080, 1920x1440, 2560x1440 Viking Meat War Designed by Ricardo Gimenes from Spain. preview without calendar: 320x480, 1024x768, 1024x1024, 1280x800, 1280x960, 1280x1024, 1366x768, 1400x1050, 1440x900, 1600x1050, 1600x1200, 1680x1050, 1680x1200, 1920x1080, 1920x1200, 1920x1440, 2560x1440, 2880x1800

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Cicadas are back at it again in 2025, already emerging in droves to announce the approach of summer with their screeches. If you live in the Eastern U.S., get ready to meet (and hear) Brood XIV (14), this year’s batch of periodical cicadas. Cicadas in Brood XIV have begun to pop up in multiple states, climbing out of the underground holes that they’ve spent the last 17 years in. Now, they’ll dedicate the entire month of June to mating and laying eggs before dying. Learn more about the lives of these noisy insects and what makes Brood XIV so noteworthy. Cicadas From South to NorthPeriodical cicadas consist of seven species, falling under 15 broods that either emerge every 13 or 17 years. They’re not the same as annual cicadas, which arrive every summer in much smaller numbers and don’t have the same synchronized development.Most years, one brood of periodical cicadas makes an appearance above ground. However, 2024 was an extraordinary year for cicadas because two adjacent broods (XIII and XIX) overlapped. The rare double-brood event was a must-see, since the next double-brood won’t occur until 2037 (IX and XIX will emerge together, but they aren’t adjacent). This year’s Brood XIV — a 17-year brood — won’t bring as much cicada chaos as last year, but its range is undoubtedly impressive. Cicadas will appear mostly in the Midwest and South, with a large swath concentrated from southern Ohio, down through Kentucky, and Tennessee. Their prevalence in Kentucky has led some to designate Brood XIV as the “Bourbon Brood”.Cicadas in Brood XIV will also appear as far south as northern Georgia and as far north as Long Island, New York, and Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Brood XIV is notable for being the second largest brood after XIX, a 13-year brood referred to as “The Great Southern Brood." Brood XIV is also considered to be the ancestral group from which all other 17-year broods have been shaped. This brood holds a special place in history, as its forebears were first recorded by the Pilgrims in the Plymouth Colony in 1634. Understanding the Cicada Lifecycle Cicadas in Brood XIV were last seen above ground in 2008; the ones that lived back then laid the eggs that have now become the fully-fledged cicadas emerging this year. The cicada life cycle starts when eggs that are located underground hatch into nymphs, which eat fluid from the roots of trees. The nymphs undergo five juvenile stages over the course of years, molting with each stage. They eventually crawl out of exit tunnels and find a spot to molt one final time, marking the start of adulthood. Once the adult cicadas’ exoskeleton hardens, they then focus on mating. The males climb up trees and produce their shrill songs en masse, using muscles to vibrate a rigid part of their exoskeletons called tymbals. After mating, a female cicada lays upwards of 600 eggs that will hatch after six to ten weeks, long after all of the adults have died. The newborn nymphs will then fall out of trees and burrow underground to begin the cycle anew. The Issue with Stragglers Tracking and mapping periodical cicadas of each brood is an ongoing process that needs updating nearly every year. The majority of broods come out on time, but it turns out that not all cicadas are flawless in their timekeeping.One factor that complicates tracking efforts is the existence of stragglers, cicadas that emerge earlier or later than their brood is supposed to. Stragglers that arrive at the wrong time could potentially mix with separate, adjacent broods, causing gene flow. For example, the concern this year is that previous broods could have stragglers that appear late and intermingle with Brood XIV. These stragglers could come from Brood X, which last emerged 4 years ago (and stragglers tend to emerge 1 or 4 years after their parent brood). There usually aren’t many stragglers for any given year, and they’re often picked out quickly by predators. However, some survive and influence nearby broods that emerge on time, which can throw off the data that scientists collect. Beyond the inevitable racket that they’ll create, cicadas are entirely harmless. They don’t bite or sting, but at the very least, be prepared for a loud month ahead. Article SourcesOur writers at Discovermagazine.com use peer-reviewed studies and high-quality sources for our articles, and our editors review for scientific accuracy and editorial standards. Review the sources used below for this article:University of Connecticut. Brood XIVArizona State University. Cicada Life CycleUniversity of Connecticut. Straggling and core 17-year broodsJack Knudson is an assistant editor at Discover with a strong interest in environmental science and history. Before joining Discover in 2023, he studied journalism at the Scripps College of Communication at Ohio University and previously interned at Recycling Today magazine.

A small home in Wayne County, Missouri was torn apart by a tornado. An aerial image by Jeff Roberson taken on March 15 depicts chunks of stick-framed walls and half-recognizable debris strewn across a patchy lawn in an eviscerated orthography of middle-American life. Elisa Iturbe, assistant professor of Architecture at Harvard’s Graduate School of Design, describes this scene as “an image of climate impact, climate victimhood…these walls are doing the hard work of containment, of containing the rituals of human lifestyle.” Roberson’s image embodied the themes that emerged from the Projective Territories Symposium: The atomized fragility of contemporary American domesticity, the fundamental link between ways of living and modes of land tenure, and the necessary primacy of form in architecture’s response to the incoming upheaval of climate change. Lydia Kallipoliti talked about her 2024 book Histories of Ecological Design; An Unfinished Cyclopedia. (Andy Eichler) Projective Territories was hosted at Kent State University’s College of Architecture and Environmental Design on April 3 and 4. Organized and led by the CAED’s assistant professor Paul Mosley, the symposium brought Iturbe, Columbia University’s associate professor Lydia Kallipoliti, California College of the Arts’ associate professor Neeraj Bhatia, and professor Albert Pope of Rice University to Kent, Ohio, to discuss the relationship between territory and architecture in the face of climate change. “At its core, territory is land altered by human inhabitation,” read Mosley’s synopsis. “If ensuring a survivable future means rethinking realities of social organization, economy, and subsistence, then how might architecture—as a way of thinking and rethinking the world—contribute to these new realities?” Projective Territories kicked off on the afternoon of April 3 with a discussion of Bhatia’s Life After Property exhibition hosted at the CAED’s Armstrong Gallery. The exhibition collected drawings, renderings, and models by Bhatia’s practice The Open Workshop on a puzzle-piece shaped table constructed from plywood and painted blue. Nestled into the table’s geometric subtractions, Bhatia, Pope, Mosley, and CAED associate professor Taraneh Meshkani discussed Bhatia’s research into the commons: A system of land tenure by which communities manage and share resources with minimal reliance on the state through an ethic of solidarity, mutualism, and reciprocity. Neeraj Bhatia presented new typologies for collective living. (Andy Eichler) The symposium’s second day was organized into a morning session, “The Erosion of Territory,” with lectures by Kallipoliti and Iturbe, and an afternoon session, “The Architecture of Expanding Ecologies,” with lectures by Bhatia and Pope. Mosley’s introduction to “The Erosion of Territory” situated Kallipoliti and Iturbe’s work in a discussion about “how territories have been historically shaped by extraction and control and are unraveling under strain.” Lydia Kallipoliti’s lecture “Ecological Design; Cohabiting the World” presented questions raised by her 2024 book Histories of Ecological Design; An Unfinished Cyclopedia, which she described as “an attempt to clarify how nature as a concept was used in history.” Kallipoliti proposed an ecological model that projects outward from domestic interiors to the world to generate a “universe of fragmented worldviews and a cloud of stories.” Iturbe’s “Transgressing Immutable Lines” centered on her research into the formal potentials for Community Land Trusts—nonprofits that own buildings in trust on existing real estate. Iturbe described these trusts as “Not just a juridical mechanism, but a proposal for rewriting the relationship between land and people.” “Ecology is the basis for a more pleasurable alternative,” said Mosley in his introduction to the day’s second session. “Cooperation and care aren’t the goals, but the means of happiness.” An exhibition complementing the symposium shared drawings, renderings, and models. (Andy Eichler) Neeraj Bhatia’s lecture “Life After Property” complemented the previous days’ exhibition, problematizing the housing crisis as an ideological commitment to housing rooted in market speculation. Bhatia presented new typologies for collective living with the flexibility to formally stabilize the interpersonal relationships that define life in the commons. Albert Pope finished the day’s lectures with “Inverse Utopia,” presenting work from his 2024 book of the same name, which problematizes postwar American urban sprawl as an incapability to visualize the vast horizontal expansion of low-density development. Collectively, the day’s speakers outlined a model that situated the American domestic form at the center of the global climate crisis. Demanding complete separation from productive territories, this formal ideology of the isolated object is in a process of active dismemberment under climate change. The speakers’ proposed solutions were unified under fresh considerations of established ideas of typology and form, directly engaging politics of the collective as an input for shaping existing space. As Friday’s session drew to a close, the single-family home appeared as a primitive relic which architecture must overcome. Albert Pope’s images of tower complexes in Hong Kong and council estates in London that house thousands appeared as visions of the future. “The only way we can begin to address this dilemma is to begin to understand who we are in order to enlist the kinds of collective responses to this problem,” said Pope. Walker MacMurdo is an architectural designer, critic, and adjunct professor who studies the relationship between architecture and the ground at Kent State University’s College of Architecture and Environmental Design.

Michael Burrell//Getty ImagesIncreasing the value of your home is a concept you'll hear about repeatedly once you're a homeowner. While it might be tempting to see a new roof or sparkling kitchen as an "investment" instead of a massive expense, sometimes that kind of budget rebranding just isn't in the cards. The good news? There are actually a myriad of ways to increase your home's value without breaking the bank. We asked the property experts at Jones Whyte for their top tips for increasing your home's value without spending a fortune, and their advice focuses on enhancing your home's overall appearance, functionality, and efficiency. The key is for homeowners is to adopt the mindset of a potential buyer, explains Nick Hay, a partner at Jones Whyte. “Make improvements that you would look for when buying a house for yourself. By doing this, you can create a welcoming and appealing home that buyers can easily envision as their own.” Below, we're rounding up five of the easiest—and most inexpensive—ways you can see a big boost in profit, should you choose to sell your home. Clean Up Your Curb AppealNate SheetsFirst impressions are key to a welcoming home. A regular landscaping routine is a low-budget way to make an impact. Start by regularly mowing, edging, and trimming your lawn, managing your weeds well, and tearing out any old, dead, or dying plants. Doing this consistently over time ensures you never have an unmanageable mess, and you know what thrives in your front and backyard.Beyond that, Hay also recommends installing outdoor lighting or repairing any broken fixtures you may have on the exterior of your home. This can improve your house's overall safety while creating a warm and inviting glow. Make Small (But Significant) SwapsStephen Kent JohnsonIf there are areas of your home that make you fantasize about a costly gut renovation (especially your bathroom or kitchen), think about small upgrades that can make a big impact. “In the bathroom, you can replace old lighting fixtures, re-caulk the tub, or add a new shower curtain and rug,” he says. We also suggest a new front door paint color, a few window flower boxes, and fresh cabinet hardware for a budget-friendly refresh.Focus on Energy-EfficiencyHaris KenjarLongevity has become a major point of interest recently for potential home buyers. Amid climate change unpredictability and financial turmoil, people want to know they're buying a home that will last—and a large part of this has to do with energy efficiency. “If there's room in your budget, consider investing in extra insulation or a more efficient heating system,” says Hay. These types of projects often have a larger up-front cost but can help raise your home's overall value and lower your energy bills at the same time. Plus, many energy-efficient home projects can come with a tax credit to help offset costs. Incorporate Smart Storage SolutionsAdam MacchiaMaximizing the square footage you already have is an easy (and functional) way to boost your home's value without spending a lot of money. Installing shelving in an unused closet, decluttering your crawl space or attic, and making use of the vertical space in your home are all great places to start. There's no shortage of organizing inspiration online to guide you, including our tips from professional home organizers.Invest in Home StagingNate SheetsWhen it comes time to sell your home, consider investing in a professional home stager. Just as you trust the expertise of a real estate agent, stagers are tasked with knowing exactly what a potential buyer is looking for in a home's interior and delivering on it. While the list of home staging tasks is long and varied, you can expect them to clean, re-arrange furniture (and sometimes bring in new pieces), decorate, and re-style your home to help you put your best foot forward. This helps potential buyers envision themselves in the space, which can result in more interest and higher offers after a viewing or open house.Follow House Beautiful on Instagram and TikTok.

here comes the boom! Falcon 9 sonic booms can feel more like seismic waves Trajectories, wind shear, temperature gradients, topography, and weather can affect how a sonic boom spreads. Jennifer Ouellette – May 27, 2025 12:36 pm | 1 A Falcon 9 rocket lifted SPHEREx into orbit in March. Credit: NASA/Jim Ross A Falcon 9 rocket lifted SPHEREx into orbit in March. Credit: NASA/Jim Ross Story text Size Small Standard Large Width * Standard Wide Links Standard Orange * Subscribers only   Learn more The Vandenberg Space Force Base in Santa Barbara, California, serves military space launch missions as well as launches for NASA and commercial entities like SpaceX. But how do all those launches affect residents living along the Central Coast? People might marvel at the spectacular visual display, but as launch activity at the base has ramped up, so have the noise complaints, particularly about the sonic booms produced by Falcon 9 launches, which can reach as far south as Ventura County. The booms rattle windows, frighten pets, and have raised concerns about threats to the structural integrity of private homes. There have been rockets launching from Vandenberg for decades, so why are the Falcon 9 launches of such concern? "Because of the Starlink satellites, the orbital mechanics for where they're trying to place these in orbit is bringing [the trajectories] closer to the coast," said Brigham Young University's Kent Gee, who described his research into sonic boom effects on neighboring communities in a press briefing at a meeting of the Acoustical Society of America in New Orleans. And the launches are occurring much more frequently, from two to three launches per year in the 1980s to between five and seven launches each month today. There were 46 Falcon 9 launches out of the Vandenberg base in 2024 alone, per Gee. Gee joined a project called ECOBOOM (Environmental and Community Observation of Sonic Booms) to study the factors that can impact just how jarring those sonic booms might be, conducted jointly by BYU and California State University, Bakersfield, with cooperation from the Space Force. "Space Force is interested in this because they feel a sense of stewardship," said Gee. "These rockets from SpaceX and other providers are launched from the base for a variety of missions and they want to understand the effects both on and off base, trying to understand how they can complete the mission while minimizing [negative] impacts." Gee and his cohorts monitored 132 separate sonic booms last summer, relying on data gathered via a network of 25 or so acoustic monitoring stations located along 500 square miles, including the beaches of Isla Vista and further inland to the hills of Ojai. "The measurements were made in parks, people's backyards, parking lots, wastewater plants, and all sorts of different locations," said Gee. More bang than boom A view of a Falcon 9 rocket launch from a park in Ventura County. Credit: Kent Gee There has been a great deal of research on supersonic aircraft, but the sonic booms produced by rockets like the Falcon 9 are acoustically distinct, according to Gee. For instance, most sonic booms have two shock waves, but the Falcon 9 booster produces a boom with three shocks as it descends through the atmosphere after launch. Gee co-authored a paper earlier this year analyzing the acoustic signatures of three Falcon 9 flyback sonic booms. While the first and third shocks were what one might typically expect, the second central shock "is formed by a combination of the grid fins and the lower portions of the booster, including the folded landing legs," Gee and BYU colleague Mark C. Anderson wrote. "These lower portions of the booster produce a rarefaction wave that tends to migrate toward the back of the shock system while the grid fins produce a shock wave that tends to migrate toward the front of the shock system." Those shock waves merge, and their relative strengths determine where this second shock appears in the full sonic boom acoustic signature. Sonic booms from rockets are also lower frequency, with peaks of less than 1 Hz—below the range of human hearing. The result is less of a "boom" and more of a "bang," according to Gee, that can last a few seconds, compared to milliseconds for a typical acoustic wave. It's more akin to a seismic wave, particularly if one is indoors when it hits. "Sometimes you get a very low amplitude rumble, but it comes on suddenly, and it's there for a few seconds and disappears," he said. It's also one reason why the sonic booms can travel so far afield of the Vandenberg base. Could the similarities confuse California residents who might mistake a sonic boom for an earthquake? Perhaps, at least until residents learn otherwise. "Since we're often setting up in people's backyard, they text us the results of what they heard," said Gee. "It's fantastic citizen science. They'll tell us the difference is that the walls shake but the floors don't. They're starting to be able to tell the difference between an earthquake or a sonic boom from a launch." Launch trajectories of Falcon 9 rockets along the California coast. Credit: Kent Gee A rocket's trajectory also plays an important role. "Everyone sees the same thing, but what you hear depends on where you're at and the rocket's path or trajectory," said Gee, adding that even the same flight path can nonetheless produce markedly different noise levels. "There's a focal region in Ventura, Oxnard, and Camarillo where the booms are more impactful," he said. "Where that focus occurs changes from launch to launch, even for the same trajectory." That points to meteorology also being a factor: Certain times of year could potentially have more impact than others as weather conditions shift, with wind shears, temperature gradients, and topography, for instance, potentially affecting the propagation of sonic booms. In short, "If you can change your trajectory even a little under the right meteorological conditions, you can have a big impact on the sonic booms in this region of the country," said Gee. And it's only the beginning of the project; the team is still gathering data. "No two launches look the same right now," said Gee. "It's like trying to catch lightning." As our understanding improves, he sees the conversation shifting to more subjective social questions, possibly leading to the development of science-based local regulations, such as noise ordinances, to address any negative launch impacts. The next step is to model sonic booms under different weather conditions, which will be challenging due to coastal California's microclimates. "If you've ever driven along the California coast, the weather changes dramatically," said Gee. "You go from complete fog at Vandenberg to complete sun in Ventura County just 60 miles from the base." Jennifer Ouellette Senior Writer Jennifer Ouellette Senior Writer Jennifer is a senior writer at Ars Technica with a particular focus on where science meets culture, covering everything from physics and related interdisciplinary topics to her favorite films and TV series. Jennifer lives in Baltimore with her spouse, physicist Sean M. Carroll, and their two cats, Ariel and Caliban. 1 Comments

The campus will be West Africa's first dedicated children's cancer research centre 1/5 show caption Adjaye Associates has unveiled its designs for a research centre in Ghana which will be West Africa’s first institution dedicated entirely to the treated of childhood cancers. The  225,000sq m International Children’s Cancer Research Centre (ICCRC) in Kyebi has been designed for the Wish4Life Foundation, a US nonprofit based in New York. Set on the eastern slopes of the Atewa Range, the centre is envisioned as a “holistic sanctuary for healing, research, teaching, and community”. It aims to increase survival rates from the region’s current approximation of 10% to levels approaching the 80% benchmark seen in the United States.  Adjaye Associates said the project represents a new model for paediatric care rooted in local traditions, supported by global excellence, and built to be financially self sustaining.   The firm’s design has been inspired by local beliefs that illness is a disrupotion of personal and communal harmony, with the centre to be rooted in biophilic design to integrate it into the surrounded forested landscape. Aerial view of the campus masterplan David Adjaye said: “I believe design can provide a critical inquiry into social responsibility and civic consciousness. I have always sought to work out the aesthetics of this inquiry in my work. At its best, architecture should contribute to a social change agenda.” Buildings will be constructed using locally sourced materials including rammed earth, composite earth slabs, timber, and clay brickwork. Pre-cast low-carbon concrete screens that shade clinical and research buildings reference Kente weaving patterns, embedding ancestral memory and cultural identity into the architecture.  Passive cooling, site-specific orientation, and photovoltaic energy systems aim to ensure sustainability and resilience in the face of changing environmental conditions. The ICCRC campus includes a children’s hospital, advanced research laboratories, a training institute for oncologists, staff and family residences, a chapel, and a dedicated family support centre.

The Days of Play celebration comes to PlayStation Store, featuring numerous games all available at discount for a limited time*, starting May 28! You can get a preview of just some of the titles** that’ll be included ahead of the promotion’s go-live time right here. The full list will include the likes of Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 – Cross-Gen Bundle (45% off), WWE 2K25 Standard Edition (30% off), Astro Bot (15% off), The Last of Us Part II Remastered (20% off) and Red Dead Redemption 2 (75% off).  The full list will include the likes of Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 – Cross-Gen Bundle (45% off), WWE 2K25 Standard Edition (30% off), Astro Bot (17% off) and The Last of Us Part II Remastered (20% off).  The full list will include the likes of Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 – Cross-Gen Bundle (45% off), WWE 2K25 Standard Edition (30% off), Astro Bot (17% off) and The Last of Us Part II Remastered (20% off).  And there are many more games beyond the titles listed below. When the dedicated promotion page goes live on PlayStation Store on May 28, head there to see the full list and find out your regional discount pricing.  And there’s plenty more Days of Play related-celebrations to enjoy! 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You are the data center Where hyperscale hardware goes to retire: Ars visits a very big ITAD site Watching memory DIMMs get sorted like Wonka children inside SK TES' facility. Kevin Purdy – May 26, 2025 7:30 am | 9 A worker at SK TES' Fredericksburg, Va. facility, processing incoming gear. Credit: SK TES A worker at SK TES' Fredericksburg, Va. facility, processing incoming gear. Credit: SK TES Story text Size Small Standard Large Width * Standard Wide Links Standard Orange * Subscribers only   Learn more "The biggest risk is data escape." Eric Ingebretsen, chief commercial officer at SK TES, an IT asset disposition provider, tells me this early on during a tour of a 128,000-square-foot facility in Fredericksburg, Virginia. He will restate this a few times. A big part of this site's pitch to its clients, including the "hyperscale" customers with gigantic data centers nearby, is that each device is labeled, tracked, and inventoried for its drives—both obvious and hidden—and is either securely wiped or destroyed. The process, commonly called ITAD, is used by larger businesses, especially when they upgrade fleets of servers or workers' devices. ITAD providers ensure all the old gear is wiped clean, then resold, repurposed, recycled, or destroyed. In keeping with the spirit of client confidentiality, I could not take photos or videos during my visit, record our talks, or capture anything beyond what I could scribble in my notepad. (The images in this post are provided by SK TES and were not taken during my visit). I did, however, see some intriguing things and learn about what happens to all the drives and rack-mounted gear we call "the cloud" once anything gets more than a few years old. Undocumented drives: The tiny terror The loading docks at SK's facility are essentially divided into two: one section for the hyperscalers and one for everything else. SK is discreet about its clients, but given its northern Virginia location, you can make some guesses about some of the online-selling, search-result-providing, software-providing firms this site is servicing. Pallets arrive in big, shrink-wrapped squares, as tall as my shoulders, with break-once security seals. Each device has its serial number assigned to an asset tag, one that will follow that unit through the whole facility. Laptops and desktops head to a retail station on a long roller line. At that spot, workers—the kind exceedingly familiar with all the BIOS startup keys—run an automated Blancco system to reset them at the firmware level. Workers sometimes have to dig deeper, like getting into a switch or router with SSH or undoing a RAID setup to enable programmed wiping. Inside the laptop/desktop examination bay at SK TES's Fredericksburg, Va. site. Credit: SK tes Inside the laptop/desktop examination bay at SK TES's Fredericksburg, Va. site. Credit: SK tes The details of each unit—CPU, memory, HDD size—are taken down and added to the asset tag, and the device is sent on to be physically examined. This step is important because "many a concealed drive finds its way into this line," Kent Green, manager of this site, told me. Inside the machines coming from big firms, there are sometimes little USB, SD, SATA, or M.2 drives hiding out. Some were make-do solutions installed by IT and not documented, and others were put there by employees tired of waiting for more storage. "Some managers have been pretty surprised when they learn what we found," Green said. With everything wiped and with some sense of what they're made of, each device gets a rating. It's a three-character system, like "A-3-6," based on function, cosmetic condition, and component value. Based on needs, trends, and other data, devices that are cleared for resale go to either wholesale, retail, component harvesting, or scrap. Full-body laptop skins Wiping down and prepping a laptop, potentially for a full-cover adhesive skin. Credit: SK TES Wiping down and prepping a laptop, potentially for a full-cover adhesive skin. Credit: SK TES If a device has retail value, it heads into a section of this giant facility where workers do further checks. Automated software plays sounds on the speakers, checks that every keyboard key is sending signals, and checks that laptop batteries are at 80 percent capacity or better. At the end of the line is my favorite discovery: full-body laptop skins. Some laptops—certain Lenovo, Dell, and HP models—are so ubiquitous in corporate fleets that it's worth buying an adhesive laminating sticker in their exact shape. They're an uncanny match for the matte black, silver, and slightly less silver finishes of the laptops, covering up any blemishes and scratches. Watching one of the workers apply this made me jealous of their ability to essentially reset a laptop's condition (so one could apply whole new layers of swag stickers, of course). Once rated, tested, and stickered, laptops go into a clever "cradle" box, get the UN 3481 "battery inside" sticker, and can be sold through retail. 5,632 HDDs at once Beyond these folks are some of the more than 5,000 HDD wiping bays (black, with all the wires running to them) at the SK TES facility. Credit: SK TES Beyond these folks are some of the more than 5,000 HDD wiping bays (black, with all the wires running to them) at the SK TES facility. Credit: SK TES That includes buyers of reconditioned hard drives, and boy, are there a lot of drives moving through this site. Once a drive is verified through its SMART data to be worth grading and refurbishing, it's put into one of more than two dozen wiping bays, each holding about 192 drives (with a special bay handling some M.2 and other non-HDD sizes). If the bays were completely full, 5,632 drives could be wiped concurrently. The month before I visited, the site had processed about 58,000 drives, according to Ingebretsen. There are also stacks and stacks of memory and CPUs in this non-retail corner of the site. I walked by one box labeled "SR1Y5" (i.e., Intel Xeon E5-2676 v3 chips), and he confirmed there were 3,600 units inside. The RoboFlex II. This baby weighs 35 pounds, has Good and Bad bins, and whips sticks around at remarkable speed. Credit: SimmTester The RoboFlex II. This baby weighs 35 pounds, has Good and Bad bins, and whips sticks around at remarkable speed. Credit: SimmTester Nearby, in the memory-testing section, I find the memory machine that will stick in my own memory the rest of my life: the RoboFlex-II Handler. You drop RAM DIMMs or SODIMMs into one of its two bays, and it tests the pins on each stick. Each stick is rated "Good" or "Bad" and kicked in the appropriate direction by a 90-PSI air blast. I asked the workers at this station if they think about the entirely relevant scene from Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory. They do, and quite often. Where does all this stuff go? SK TES sells retail devices like laptops, desktops, and mobile devices through its "Stock Must Go" brand on eBay and elsewhere. Chips and memory are typically bought up by laboratories, crypto miners, data centers, and a lot of high-volume overseas customers. There are steady enterprise customers for the drives, usually putting them back into datacenters. It's something like $2.5 million in sales each month, an SK TES representative told me. Big data, and only getting bigger The other business—the thing that makes ITAD "disposition" instead of just "refurbishing"—is dismantling and handing off devices for shredding. The Financial Times has reported that Amazon and Microsoft have 100 percent data shredding policies, with Google also shredding much of its drive turnover. The US National Renewable Energy Laboratory estimated in 2022 that by 2025, roughly 50 million end-of-life data center drives would be shredded every year. ITAD businesses like SK TES make the pitch that companies can create revenue to reinvest in operations through offering gear for refurbishment. SK TES representatives told me that most of the Virginia site's customers are "focused on reuse," while "a small portion" of equipment is shredded and sent off-site to be recycled. The site, built on the guts of a mattress factory, was put up specifically to handle the high volumes of server racks and HDDs coming in from data centers. It has a staff of 165, though it fluctuates a bit between big server hauls and downtime. The full-fledged site had been open one year when I visited. The biggest challenge, Ingebretsen told me, was getting power everywhere it needed to go inside the facility as volume fluctuated and needs expanded. Data centers are massive and growing, to the point of creating entire sub-industries that employ dozens of people to handle their tech turnover. The Northern Virginia Technology Council industry group puts this region's data center growth at 500 percent between 2015 and 2023, and it continues, though some pushback is happening. Many data centers were accessed to allow me to navigate to SK TES's site via Apple Maps and write this post, and for you to read it. It reminds me of the adage—made popular by the CEO of GPS maker TomTom—that you are not stuck in traffic, you are the traffic. After my tour, I got my phone back from security, talked a bit with Ingebretsen, then headed out to my car. I spent a few minutes jotting down the most notable things I'd seen inside, then looked up and out the windshield. There was a black tarp wrapped around a chain-link fence of the lot next door, with logos announcing the construction of a new data center. Data centers are everywhere—and nowhere in particular. Kevin Purdy Senior Technology Reporter Kevin Purdy Senior Technology Reporter Kevin is a senior technology reporter at Ars Technica, covering open-source software, PC gaming, home automation, repairability, e-bikes, and tech history. He has previously worked at Lifehacker, Wirecutter, iFixit, and Carbon Switch. 9 Comments