Highest and Lowest Temperatures in Natural and Lab Conditions
Natural
The lowest temperature ever recorded on Earth was -128.6 degrees Fahrenheit (-89.2 degrees Celsius), which was recorded at the Soviet Union's Vostok Station in Antarctica on July 21, 1983. This is also the coldest temperature ever recorded in the world.
The highest temperature ever reliably recorded on Earth was 134 degrees Fahrenheit (56.7 degrees Celsius), which was measured on July 10, 1913, at Furnace Creek Ranch in Death Valley, California, USA. This is also the highest temperature ever recorded on the planet.
Lab
The lowest temperature ever achieved in a laboratory setting is extremely close to absolute zero, which is -459.67 degrees Fahrenheit (-273.15 degrees Celsius). This temperature is the lowest possible temperature that can be achieved, and it occurs when all molecular motion in a substance stops. Scientists have been able to achieve temperatures within a few billionths of a degree above absolute zero using techniques such as laser cooling and evaporative cooling.
On the other hand, the highest temperature ever achieved in a laboratory setting is much more difficult to define, as it can depend on the specific method used to generate the high temperature. However, some examples of high temperatures achieved in laboratory settings include:
The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN, which can generate temperatures up to 5.5 trillion degrees Celsius by colliding particles at high speeds.
Laser-induced fusion experiments, which can generate temperatures of several million degrees Celsius by compressing and heating hydrogen isotopes using powerful lasers.
It's worth noting that these temperatures are not sustained for long periods of time and are usually only achieved in specific experimental conditions.