Scientists have identified the coldest place on Earth, where temperatures plunge to -98°C. This high-altitude zone in East Antarctica is so extreme that no life can survive.
Analysis of satellite observations revealed that under ideal winter conditions, the surface temperature along this ridge can fall to -93.2°C. Under even clearer and drier conditions, scientists estimate it could dip further to -98°C.However, these satellite-recorded temperatures are not recognised as official world records by the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO). The WMO still considers -89.2°C, recorded in 1983 at the Vostok Research Station in Antarctica, as the coldest directly measured temperature on Earth.At altitudes above 4,000 metres, the air becomes extremely thin and dry, unable to trap heat. Any warmth from Earth’s surface escapes rapidly into space, causing temperatures to drop dramatically.In the interior of East Antarctica, clouds are rare during the long winter months. Since clouds normally reflect heat back toward the surface, their absence allows the remaining warmth to escape into the atmosphere. The air in this region is nearly motionless, causing dense, cold air to settle into shallow depressions — a phenomenon that intensifies the extreme chill.Despite its icy surface, this part of Antarctica is one of the driest deserts on Earth, receiving barely 1–3 centimetres of snow each year. The dry air acts like an insulator, boosting radiative cooling and pushing temperatures even lower.The extreme cold, dryness, thin atmosphere and six months of polar darkness make this region utterly unsuitable for life. Unlike the coastal parts of Antarctica, where penguins, seals and algae survive, the high interior of East Antarctica supports no wildlife and no vegetation.
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Whenever we think of unbearable cold, Antarctica immediately comes to mind. But scientists have now discovered a stretch of land on Earth that is far colder than even Antarctica’s iciest points. This lethal zone, where no plant, animal or human can endure, is located on the East Antarctic Plateau. (Image-AI)
