The coldest place on Earth is a horror movie waiting to happen.
NASA claims a high ridge on the East Antarctic Plateau is now the coldest place on earth. A temperature of -93.2° Celsius (-135.76 F) was recorded on 10 August 2010 via satellites. This record is unlikely to be recognised because the World Meteorological Organisation only recognises temperature recordings from ground-based weather stations.
Officially the coldest place on Earth is the Russian research facility known as Vostok Station. On July 21 1983 it experienced the lowest recorded temperature of -89.2 degrees Celsius (-128.56 F).
The station is 3,488 meters (11,444 ft) above sea level and is one of the most isolated research stations on the Antarctic continent. Winter temperatures average about −65 °C (−85 °F). Summer temperatures average around −30 °C (−22 °F). So, no, you won’t want to go sunbathing.
Feel like visiting? You might want to go somewhere else on your adventure holiday. Apart from the cold, the atmosphere is thinner due to altitude. There is very little moisture in the air that you will breathe, and polar night lasts around 130 days, from mid April to late August. Scientists and researchers who visit may take up to two months to acclimatise to the conditions. Common ailments of newcomers include headaches, eye twitches, ear pains, nose bleeds, perceived suffocation, sudden rises in blood pressure, loss of sleep, reduced appetite, vomiting, joint and muscle pain, arthritis, and weight loss.
That said, Vostok is an interesting analog to Mars. The Spirit Rover equatorial exploration of Mars reported highs of about 35 degrees C. (95 degrees F.) in summer to lows of -90 degrees C. (-130 degrees F.) in winter.
Short answer: The coldest place on Earth is Vostok Station, Antarctica. The temperature fell to -89.2 degrees Celsius (-128.56 F) on July 21 1983.
