The hottest place in the world is somewhere in the middle of Iran. It is actually in the center of Lut Desert.
According to data from NASA’s satellite, the Lut Desert is home to the hottest recorded spot on the earth’s surface.
However, there are some doubts about this idea, so let’s take a deeper look into this matter.
The Lut Desert
The “desert” is a large salt desert. Lut is actually the world’s 27th-largest desert with an area of 51,800 square kilometers (20,000 square miles). In Farsi ‘Lut’ literally means bare land without water and devoid of vegetation.
Lut desert is situated in the south-east of the country. The eastern part of the desert displays a low plateau covered with salt flats, while the center displays a series of parallel ridges and furrows. Strong winds sweep this arid area From June to October.
The main attraction areas of Lut desert, include Gandom Berian, Shahdad Kalut, and Rig Yellen. In addition, the desert is home to diverse animal life, including insects, reptiles, and desert foxes.
Iran UNESCO’s World Heritage List inscribed the Lut Desert in 2016.
If you are planning to travel to Iran and would like to book your Iran Tour Packages in advance or submit your Iran Visa application through an Iranian travel agency, feel free to contact us at your convenience.
Where was the previous hottest spot in the world?
In 1913, scientists in Death Valley, California measured a temperature of 134°F (56.7°C) and declared it the hottest temperature ever recorded. In 1922, a weather station in Libya recorded a temperature of 136.4°F (58.0°C).
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) recognized this observation as the hottest temperature recorded on Earth for some time.
However, according to another research by the University of Montana, using data from the U.S. Geological Survey’s Landsat satellites, neither is the world’s hottest place.
In a statement by NASA from a team member, “Most of the places that call themselves the hottest on Earth are not even serious contenders”.
Is Lut Desert actually home to the world’s hottest place?
To find a proper answer to this question, we have to look at the scientific evidence.
Running and his colleagues examined infrared data from the Landsat satellites during seven years. They found that the winner in five of those years — 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2009 — was actually the Lut Desert in Iran.
A temperature of 159.3°F (70.7°C) was measured in 2005- the highest temperature ever officially confirmed for a location on Earth.
However, the Lut Desert did not encounter the highest temperature every year.
So why didn’t the Lut Desert previously named as the world hottest spot? Because “the Earth’s hot deserts — such as the Sahara desert, the Gobi, the Sonoran, and the Lut — are climatically harsh and so remote that access for routine measurements and maintenance of a weather station is impractical,” said team member David Mildrexler.
Queensland, Australia had the highest temperature in 2003, with the record of 156.7°F (69.3°C), and in 2008, Turpan Basin in China had the highest temperature on the earth with the temperature of 152.2°F (66.8°C).
It is worth knowing that the Turpan Basin is covered with dark red sandstone that heats up the extreme temperature, especially in the afternoon sun.
A number of factors influence the land surface temperature (LST). For instance: changes in solar radiation, changes in land cover and changes in atmospheric conditions. Therefore, dry, rocky and dark-colored lands absorb heat well, while lighter sand will tend to reflect more sunlight.
However, some scientists argue that the “hottest place” on the earth should be framed in terms of land temperature, not air temperature.
And years of analysis have revealed that parts of Iran and Australia are particularly hot from an LST perspective.
What is the best time to travel to the deserts of Iran?
Have you ever imagined yourself trekking, or walking in a silent desert? Do you enjoy watching the stars at night without annoying city lights? Do you want to visit the world’s hottest spot?
If your answer is yes, maybe you want to visit Lut Desert. If you would like to visit deserts of Iran, especially the Lut Desert, and step on the golden sands of this amazing place with breathtaking nature, it’s the time!
From October, till the end of February, it is the best time to visit the deserts of Iran.
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