In summer 2024, several news outlets chronicled the “nightmarish” impacts Texas communities endured due to the din of noise emanating from nearby cryptocurrency mines.
Residents of these communities reported that the unrelenting noise caused them to experience a range of ailments, including high blood pressure, chest pain and tinnitus. The noise levels of the cryptocurrency mines allegedly reached 72 decibels — well above the 55 dB limit beyond which the World Health Organization (WHO) deems to be increasingly dangerous for public health.
These recent reports have stoked ongoing discussions about the potential health hazards of cryptocurrency mining. In a thinkpiece published Sept. 26 in the journal JAMA, three scientists argue that we are experiencing a “digital oil boom” that could have serious health consequences for everyone — not only the communities that live near mines. This problem extends beyond noise pollution, encompassing health risks associated with increasing energy consumption and accelerated climate change.
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