The Coldest City on Earth Is Destroying Itself | Yakutsk in Russia скачать в хорошем качестве

The Coldest City on Earth Is Destroying Itself | Yakutsk in Russia

Nearly 370,000 people live in Yakutsk — the coldest major city on Earth. Winter temperatures fall below −60°C (−76°F). Buildings stand on concrete stilts. Water pipes run above ground. Nothing can be buried. Because the ground must remain frozen. Yakutsk is built on permafrost that has been stable for thousands of years. When frozen, it behaves like concrete. When it warms, it turns unstable. And in recent decades, permafrost temperatures across Russia have increased by 2–3°C. The city was engineered for extreme cold — but not for warming. Located in the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), eastern Siberia, Yakutsk expanded rapidly during the Soviet era after the discovery of vast diamond reserves. Today, the region produces roughly 90% of Russia’s diamonds, fueling economic growth and urban expansion. But expansion brings heat. Heat transfers into the ground. And the foundation begins to shift. In this documentary investigation, we examine the paradox of a city that depends on cold to survive — and how survival itself may be accelerating change. 🔍 IN THIS VIDEO YOU’LL DISCOVER: • Why every building stands on deep concrete piles • How permafrost acts like structural cement — until it thaws • What happens when frozen soil loses stability • Why Yakutsk experiences a 100°C seasonal temperature swing • How summer heat and wildfires changed Arctic dynamics • Why infrastructure across the Arctic is at increasing risk • What scientists in Yakutsk are monitoring in real time • How diamond wealth shaped the city’s growth • The hidden cost of thermal transfer from urban expansion • Why heating systems are a matter of survival • What thawing ground means for roads and foundations • How Yakutsk compares to Alaska and northern Canada • Why this is not just a Russian story — but a global preview • What the Arctic’s warming trend could mean by 2050 📍 ABOUT YAKUTSK Founded in 1632 along the Lena River, Yakutsk has become one of the most extreme examples of human adaptation ever attempted. Nearly 65% of Russia’s territory lies on permafrost, and Yakutsk is one of its largest urban centers. To prevent heat from melting the soil beneath, engineers elevated buildings on piles driven deep into permanently frozen layers. Utilities remain above ground to avoid disturbing thermal balance. Architecture here is not decorative — it is defensive. The Republic of Sakha is also one of the world’s leading diamond-producing regions. Mining revenues transformed Yakutsk into a regional capital with universities, cultural institutions, and expanding infrastructure. Yet growth itself increases thermal stress on frozen terrain. Yakutsk exists because of the cold. Its future depends on how that cold changes. We tend to believe the ground beneath us is permanent. In Yakutsk, permanence depends on temperature. And temperature is shifting. The coldest city on Earth is not being undone by winter — but by the very heat required to keep it alive. If this investigation expanded your understanding of the Arctic, subscribe to Impossible Lands and explore the world’s most extraordinary and complex territories with us. 🎬 Our Creative Vision At Impossible Lands, we combine rigorous research with cutting-edge technology to transform complex realities into immersive storytelling experiences. Every script and narrative is developed by our creative team to ensure depth, context, and authenticity. To recreate inaccessible environments, historical moments, and future projections, we use advanced Artificial Intelligence tools under strict human supervision. Our goal is to deliver precise, cinematic, and powerful storytelling. Technology does not replace the narrative. It elevates it. #Documentary #Geography #Arctic #Russia #Yakutsk #Yakutia #Permafrost #Siberia #Russia #ExtremePlaces #ImpossibleLands