Scientists have discovered that the coldest place on Earth, unsurprisingly located somewhere in Antarctica, is even colder than previous studies suggested.
New research revealed even colder temperatures in the coldest place on Earth, potentially transforming scientists' understanding on how cold it can get on our planet's surface.
The Coldest Temperature In The World
The coldest place on Earth is known to be on the East Antarctic Plateau, located between Dome Argus and Dome Fuji. In 2013, satellite data recorded temperatures that dipped to as low as negative 135 degrees Fahrenheit, or negative 93 degrees Celsius, which was previously the coldest temperature ever recorded on Earth.
However, new analysis of the same data, which was published in the Geophysical Research Letters journal, suggested that it can get even colder on the East Antarctic Plateau. Temperatures on certain spots in the frozen ridge were found to have plunge further to negative 148 degrees Fahrenheit, or negative 100 degrees Celsius, which is a new mark for the coldest temperature in the world ever recorded.
The study took another look at temperature data that was taken between 2004 and 2016 during the Southern Hemisphere winter in the East Antarctic Plateau.
The dataset was the same one that produced the previous record-low temperatures for 2013, but has since been updated to account for more up-to-date measurements by weather stations. This gives the researchers a better idea of the surface temperature at the time in Antarctica.
In the initial 2013 findings, it was believed that the extremely low temperatures meant that there were light winds and clear skies. However, the new results suggest that the air at the location was very dry, with water vapor trapping the heat in the air.
Antarctica Is Melting
Antarctica may host the coldest place on Earth, but it is melting due to the effects of global warming.
Earlier in June, a report revealed that the largest iceberg to have ever been recorded in Antarctica is dying. A following report said that Antarctica lost 241.4 billion tons of ice between 2012 and 2017, which is triple the 83.8 billion tons of ice lost in Antarctica between 1992 and 2012, resulting in sea levels rising faster.
Unfortunately, a study predicted a bleak future for Antarctica, which is expected to lose about a quarter of its sea ice by 2070. Animals living in the continent, including penguins, seals, and seabirds, will be suffering from an alarming population decline, and the melted ice will trigger an irreversible increase in sea levels around the world.
