Shocking reality of what life is like in the hottest place on Earth with a population of just 102
Like living in the actual gates of Hell
Featured Image Credit: David McNew / Stringer / Getty
You either love the sunshine or you hate it. While sun worshippers bask in the rays and top up their tans, those of us with a pale complexion cower in the dark while slathered in Factor 50.
Still, even those who like it hot would undoubtedly be running for the shade (if you can find any) at the hottest place on Earth.
While you might think Turkmenistan's so-called 'Gateway to Hell' is the hottest place on Earth, it's not an actual place you can live.
Countries like Qatar, the Cayman Islands, and the Maldives might all make you feel like you're living in a furnace, but as global warming accelerates, it's actually Burkina Faso that has the highest average yearly temperature of 86.72 °F.
When it comes to the hottest recorded temperature on Earth, just imagine spending a day living in Death Valley's Furnace Creek.
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As the name suggests, Furnace Creek isn't one for those who'd prefer to be tucked up in front of the fire with a mug of hot cocoa, with it once recording the hottest temperature on Earth at a blistering 134.06 °F.
On July 10, 1913, the United States Weather Bureau recorded the record-breaking 134°F in Furnace Creek, and even 112 years later, it remains unbroken. This has given Furnace Creek its own USP, but with such sweltering temperatures, is it any surprise that records in 2023 show it only has 102 residents?
Posting on YouTube, Let's Explore revealed what it's like to live in Furnace Creek and why anyone would want to live in this place that's as metaphorically hot as Satan's anus.
It's so hot in Furnace Creek, your sweat evaporates immediately, meaning you don't even realize you're dehydrated, and heat can kill you in just a few hours.
Furnace Creek once had a booming population of over 1,000 residents when Borax mining was a big thing, but as the industry declined, the numbers dwindled.
Still, Furnace Creek has an impressive tourist industry thanks to its place inside Death Valley National Park, which is one of the most-visited national parks in the entire USA.
Most of those who call Furnace Creek home work for the National Park Service, and there's even a luxury resort that boasts a golf club and spa.
The golf club is said to be the lowest-elevation golf course in the world, and the only one where you can get sunburn at 7 am.
As for what makes Furnace Creek so hot, its elevation at 190 feet below sea level means the air is more dense and heat is trapped here like a pressure cooker. With the valley shaped like a giant bowl, the extreme heat is contained here and simply builds up to those record-breaking stats with no clouds, no trees, and no breeze. In fact, the ground can get as hot a 200°F in some spots, which is more than enough to fry an egg and has even seen a mailbox melt.
The video includes a horror story about a couple who tried to take a three-mile hike at midday, but had to be rescued by rangers after just one mile because they'd collapsed and were hallucinating. There's also the hiker who wore flip flops that 'boiled' and left them with third-degree burns, proving why you can't underestimate the extreme conditions in Furnace Creek.
For those wanting to know why millions of people visit Furnace Creek and its 102 residents every year, attractions include the 'heat challenge', playing golf in an 'oven', and the Badwater 135-mile ultramarathon for the truly insane.
So, next time you're looking for extreme places to visit, think about adding Furnace Creek to your list.