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What it’s like living in the coldest town on Earth

wired.com

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Re: What it’s like living in the coldest town on Earth

#11

Post by api »

ochoseis wrote: post #10
ceejayoz wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Virtually everywhere on Earth gets colder than Mars at times. Parts of Mars reach 70 degrees F in summer at noon.

Actually curious, would 70F on Mars with it's low air pressure feel the same as 70F on Earth (let's assume you somehow have a space helmet but no suit)?

It'd "feel" like a vacuum, until you passed out. But it would mean that you wouldn't need to expend so much energy to heat your shelter, and that greenhouse-based farming is a lot easier.

The important thing to note is that there are actually places on Earth that are in some peculiar respects less habitable than Mars. Overall they're not, but in terms of specifics like temperature they are. Mars settlement is achievable, assuming we can physically get there for less than the insanely high costs NASA throws around.

The location of this town probably wouldn't be habitable (or barely so) without a lot of imported electric and fossil fuel energy.

Re: What it’s like living in the coldest town on Earth

#13

Post by soperj »

Shalle wrote: post #9

Sounds just like the 10.000 other cities near/over the polar circle. And seriously, you don't keep your cars running 24/7 there are block heaters although this sounds like a very undeveloped place. Are you sure they're not Eskimos and ride around with their sleds? Eat what they hunt(there for frozen)? I've lived in areas where there was -30-45c for months straight and sure plumbing froze unless u let the water drip.…

Considering that they actually included pictures from yakutsk by the same photographer (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2548176/Feeling-cold...) It seems like they really took the time to cross all their i's and dot all their t's.

Also as someone who's grown up in winters that regularily hit -40 and -50, it can't have been that cold otherwise you wouldn't have pictures of people without a toque on, or a scarf/neckwarmer.

Re: What it’s like living in the coldest town on Earth

#14

Post by grecy »

I live in Whitehorse, Yukon. Last week it was -37C for a few days, I rode my bike/walked to work every day.

I've been out Caribou hunting in -48C snowshoeing around right near the Arctic Circle.

Snag is just down the road, where it was once -63.9C (-83F) - the coldest temp ever recorded in North America.[1]

I'm originally from Australia, so this kind of thing is Alien to me, and I think I do a decent job of explaining what it's like.

AMA if you're curious about anything. (clothes, cars, etc.)

[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snag,_Yukon

Re: What it’s like living in the coldest town on Earth

#17

Post by brational »

grecy wrote: post #14

I live in Whitehorse, Yukon. Last week it was -37C for a few days, I rode my bike/walked to work every day. I've been out Caribou hunting in -48C snowshoeing around right near the Arctic Circle. Snag is just down the road, where it was once -63.9C (-83F) - the coldest temp ever recorded in North America.[1] I'm originally from Australia, so this kind of thing is Alien to me, and I think I do a decent job of explainin…

Well for starters, what brought you there/ why do you live there? Mining/logging company?

Re: What it’s like living in the coldest town on Earth

#18

Post by nevi-me »

I was in Regina SK, Canada this time last year, and for a South African who'd only ever experienced ~-10 degrees C, it was a humbling experience. The coldest day when I was there was below -50C, and on one day I missed my bus and walked to work on -42C. I did adapt after a while, but I don't think I'd be able to live in Oymyakon.

About 15 years ago I remember reading an article on a magazine about the coldest town on Earth, I was most fascinated by people having to walk backwards, and boiling water freezing mid-air, something I forgot to try while in Canada.

Re: What it’s like living in the coldest town on Earth

#20

Post by pdx »

cbd1984 wrote: post #2

> people here regularly consume frozen meat Unless they eat it while it's still frozen, why is this noteworthy? Also: > Most people use outhouses, because indoor plumbing tends to freeze. This is due to their poverty, not the cold. If it was just cold there, as opposed to cold and impoverished, they could either keep water constantly running through the pipes, or, if that won't work, insulate them better, possibly wi…

Block heaters in cars are not effective in extremely cold temperatures. They keep the oil warm, but the battery still gets too cold to crank. In college, I used to remove my car battery from my car and store it on my kitchen floor at night so I could start the car in the morning.

Cameras will suffer similar issues. Lithium Ion batteries are only rated down to -20degC. Below that, the internal impedance of the battery rapidly increases as temperature decreases, and you get extremely shortened battery life. I once tested a product I designed, that normally works for 24 hours, and got only 2.5 hours from it at -40degC.

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