This 60 Minutes Australia report follows a journey to the coldest inhabited town on earth, Oymyakon in central Siberia, where temperatures dip below minus 50 degrees Celsius. Despite the extreme conditions, the people who live in Oymyakon, including the indigenous Yakut people, have adapted to life in the deep freeze. The report explores how they cope with everyday activities, such as washing and fishing, and also delves into the dark history of the region, including the construction of the "Road of Bones", an infamous stretch of road built by political prisoners during Joseph Stalin's reign.
1. The town of Oymyakon in Siberia is one of the coldest inhabited places on earth.
2. The temperature can drop below -55 degrees Celsius and frostbite is a constant danger.
3. The road to Oymyakon was originally built to link a series of gulags or prison camps.
4. Over a million people died during the construction of the road.
5. The local population of Oymyakon is adapted to the extreme cold, with shorter height to minimize surface area for heat loss.
6. The town has no running water and no flushing toilets due to the risk of freezing.
7. Nature provides in abundance in the form of fish and reindeer.
8. The town experiences extreme heat in the summer months, with temperatures rising above 35 degrees Celsius.