
Is there such thing as a maximum temperature?
Asked by: Keith Mayes, Norfolk
Current theories of physics break down once the temperature of an object reaches the ‘Planck temperature’, which is about 1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000°C.
At that temperature, an object would emit radiation with so much energy that every photon would create its own tiny black hole. The whole Universe was very briefly at this temperature, about 10-43s after the Big Bang. Overall, it’s a hundred trillion, trillion times hotter than the Sun.
Read more:
- How do we know the temperature at the centre of the Sun?
- Does the temperature of the Universe change with time?
- Why does altitude affect air temperature?
- What is the coldest known location in our Solar System?
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Authors

Luis trained as a zoologist, but now works as a science and technology educator. In his spare time he builds 3D-printed robots, in the hope that he will be spared when the revolution inevitably comes.
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