What is the coldest outdoor temperature ever recorded?
In Vostock, Antarctica it reached -89.2 degrees C (128.6 F) on July 21, 1983. Brrrrr! That's cold enough to make a penguin shiver.
Vostock is a Russian research station cooperatively operated by Russian, American, and French scientists. On average its around -55°C (-67°F) there. The reason it’s so chilly is because katabatic or downward winds blow at speed of nearly 90 m/s (200 mph) from the inland area toward the coast of Antarctica. Also, 98% of Antarctica is covered in with snow and ice. This reflects the sun's light rather and absorbing it. Other factors that make Antarctica the coldest place on earth are it has extremely dry air, is surrounded by a cold circulating ocean, and has a higher elevation than any other continent on the planet.
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This Q&A by Hillori Mitchell
A few years ago Hillori was sharing some fun bits of science trivia with friends when one of them told her, "You're just too smart!" A couple weeks later Just2Smart.com was born.
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