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The fallout from Arkansas' "right to mine" bitcoin law
The peace and quiet of rural Bono, Arkansas, has been shattered by a loud and incessant mechanical buzzing sound created by a bitcoin mine. What exactly is a "bitcoin mine," and how does it work? Who owns them? And what can the residents of Bono do about them? Correspondent David Pogue investigates this very loud problem. [A previous version of this report incorrectly stated that “at least 50 bitcoin mining plants are planned” in Arkansas. In fact, as of April 14, 2024, when this story originally aired, at least 50 counties in Arkansas had passed ordinances to restrict the sound level emitted by bitcoin mines.]