Enter the Mouth of the Cloud in Bayreuth: The Hidden Ecology of the Digital World

When Data Centers Transform the Earth: A Look into the Hidden Infrastructure of the Digital World

On November 10, 2026, the GIB Lecture Series "Climate and Capitalism" at the University of Bayreuth will focus on the ecological and economic foundations of digital technologies. The lecture "Enter the Mouth of the Cloud: How Data Centers Metabolize Earth for Computation" examines data centers as material infrastructures of the present.

The Cloud is Not an Abstract Place

Behind digital applications lie massive technical facilities that require energy, raw materials, space, and cooling to operate. The lecture investigates how data centers are connected to natural resources and how digital computing power is embedded in global material and energy flows.

Climate, Capitalism, and Digital Infrastructure

The event is part of the GIB Lecture Series "Climate and Capitalism," which links ecological crises with economic production and consumption patterns. Central questions include how capitalist systems produce environmental burdens, distribute them unevenly, and what perspectives arise for a more sustainable economic approach.

Lecture by Dr. Steven Gonzalez Monserrate

Dr. Steven Gonzalez Monserrate from Goethe University Frankfurt is announced as the speaker. His lecture combines scientific analysis with a critical examination of the digital present. The event experience is aimed at everyone interested in geography, climate policy, technology, resource consumption, and societal transformation processes.

Hybrid Event at the University of Bayreuth

The event will take place in Lecture Hall H6 of the Geo I building and is designed as a hybrid event. The organization as part of a university lecture series creates space for focused knowledge transfer and discussion about the material prerequisites of digital technologies.

The audience atmosphere of this scientific format arises from the connection of current climate issues, critical social analysis, and concrete insights into the infrastructure of computing. Those who want to not only use the digital world but also understand its ecological consequences will experience a pointed evening lecture with high societal relevance.

Conclusion: Understanding the Invisible Side of the Digital Future

"Enter the Mouth of the Cloud" opens the perspective on a side of digitization that often remains invisible in everyday life. Visitors can look forward to a well-founded lecture on data centers, resources, climate, and capitalism – on-site in Bayreuth or in hybrid format.

Official Channels of Enter the Mouth of the Cloud:

• Instagram: no official profile found
• Facebook: no official profile found
• YouTube: no official profile found
• TikTok: no official profile found

Sources:

• GIB Lecture Series "Climate and Capitalism" – VGDH
• News and Events – Geography, University of Bayreuth