The 21st of July, 1983 there lowest temperature was recorded in the history of meteorological observations. This happened at the Antarctic station «Vostok», where the thermometer dropped to -89.2 ° C.
At -75 ° C - diesel fuel thickens.
At -85 ° C - antifreeze crystallizes.
At -87 ° C, the metal becomes brittle.
The only intercontinental Antarctic station in Russia, «Vostok», is located in the central part of the mainland, 1260 km from the sea. Meteorological observations here began immediately after the station was opened, on December 16, 1957. «Vostok» works to this day, polar explorers work in conditions of ultra-low temperatures, ultra-low pressure and lack of oxygen. That is why, in order to provide fruitful scientific work, researchers had to improve the technique. Alcohol and glycerin were added to the inks for frost resistance, the grease, which thickened at a temperature below -60 ° C, was being removed from the recorders.
The snow becomes dense and hard at extremely low temperatures and high winds, so you can walk on it, leaving almost no traces.
Meteorological measurements at the station are carried out every three hours. Previously, the record of cold was the temperature -88.3 ° С. It was fixed on 24th of August, 1960 - also on the «Vostok», so the station is called the pole of the cold of the whole planet. And the glaciologist Igor Zotikov poetically called the «Vostok» the most Martian of the Martian places of the Earth».