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ARTICLE AD BOX
The Doomsday Clock, a symbolic gauge of how close humanity is to self-destruction, has been moved to 85 seconds to midnight, its closest point ever, as global risks from nuclear weapons, climate change and artificial intelligence intensify.
The clock was advanced by the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, a Chicago-based science advocacy group, which warned that the world is becoming “increasingly aggressive, adversarial and nationalistic,” eroding international cooperation needed to avert catastrophe.
The shift brings the clock four seconds closer to midnight than last year, when it stood at 89 seconds.
What is the Doomsday Clock?
The Doomsday Clock is a metaphorical warning system designed to show how close the world is to a man-made global catastrophe. Midnight represents total annihilation, while movements away from or toward midnight reflect changes in existential risk.
Created in 1947, the clock originally focused on the threat of nuclear war, especially as the United States and the Soviet Union entered an arms race after World War II. Over time, the Bulletin expanded its criteria to include climate change, biotechnology and emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence.
The clock is not a prediction, but a call to action, meant to spark public debate and pressure global leaders to reduce threats to humanity.
Why was the clock moved closer to midnight?
The Bulletin cited a convergence of escalating dangers:
Nuclear risks: Ongoing and potential conflicts involving nuclear-armed states, including the Russia-Ukraine war, and concerns over Iran’s nuclear capabilities following recent US and Israeli strikes.
Climate change: Intensifying droughts, heat waves and floods, combined with the failure of governments to reach meaningful agreements to curb global warming.
Artificial intelligence: Growing concern over the unregulated integration of AI into military systems, its potential role in enabling biological threats, and its use in spreading large-scale disinformation.
Breakdown in global cooperation: The Bulletin warned that “hard-won global understandings are collapsing,” fueling a zero-sum competition among major powers.
Daniel Holz, chair of the Bulletin’s Science and Security Board, said international trust is critical.
“If the world splinters into an us-versus-them, zero-sum approach, it increases the likelihood that we all lose,” he said.
Who decides the time?
Initially, the clock was set by Eugene Rabinowitch, a physicist and Bulletin editor deeply involved in international disarmament efforts. After his death in 1973, the responsibility shifted to the Bulletin’s leadership.
Since 2008, the clock has been set by the Science and Security Board, a panel of scientists and experts in nuclear technology, climate science and global security. The board consults widely with specialists and the Bulletin’s Board of Sponsors, which includes eight Nobel laureates.
When was the world farthest from midnight?
The clock was set farthest from midnight in 1991, at 17 minutes, following the end of the Cold War and the signing of the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) between the United States and the Soviet Union, which significantly reduced nuclear arsenals.
In recent years, however, rapid geopolitical shifts have prompted the Bulletin to measure time in seconds rather than minutes, underscoring the urgency of current risks.
Can the clock be turned back?
Yes, the Bulletin stressed. The clock can move away from midnight if global leaders act decisively to reduce existential threats.
That would require renewed international cooperation on arms control, meaningful action on climate change, and strong global norms and safeguards governing the use of artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies.
Until then, the Bulletin’s message is stark: humanity is closer than ever to the brink — but the outcome is still within human control.
English (US) ·