The coldest place on Earth, as recorded by scientific measurements, is the high ridge in Antarctica known as the East Antarctic Plateau. Specifically, a site on this plateau called "Dome Fuji" or "Dome F" has been identified as one of the coldest places on the planet. Dome Fuji is located near the center of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet, at coordinates 77°19′S 39°42′E.
The extreme cold temperatures in this region are attributed to several factors, including the high elevation, the stable atmospheric conditions, and the absence of sunlight for several months during the polar winter. These conditions allow for radiative cooling, where the surface loses heat to the clear, dry atmosphere, resulting in exceptionally low temperatures.
Scientific measurements taken at Dome Fuji have recorded temperatures as low as -128.6 degrees Fahrenheit (-89.2 degrees Celsius). These temperatures are close to the lowest temperature ever recorded on Earth, which was -128.6 degrees Fahrenheit (-89.2 degrees Celsius) at the Soviet Union's Vostok Station in Antarctica in 1983.
It's worth noting that the coldest place on Earth can vary depending on the specific time and location of measurements. Other regions in Antarctica, such as the high-elevation areas near the South Pole, also experience extremely cold temperatures. However, Dome Fuji on the East Antarctic Plateau is considered one of the consistently coldest places on the planet.