Doomsday Clock Ticks to 89 Seconds to Midnight: What It Means for Humanity
The Doomsday Clock serves as a symbolic warning, reflecting how close humanity is to a potential global catastrophe due to threats of our own creation.
For the first time in three years, the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists (BAS) has moved the hands of the Doomsday Clock forward by one second, placing it at 89 seconds to midnight. This shift signifies an increased risk of worldwide disaster.
“The science and security board of the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists has determined that the world has not made adequate progress in addressing existential threats that endanger all of humanity. As a result, we move the clock forward,” said Daniel Holz, chair of the board, during a live-streamed announcement on Tuesday.
The decision to adjust the clock reflects growing concerns over nuclear tensions, climate change, biological threats, and emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, which have escalated the global risk to unprecedented levels.
What is the Doomsday Clock?
The Doomsday Clock is a symbolic representation of how close humanity is to self-destruction due to man-made threats. Created by the Chicago-based nonprofit BAS, it functions as both a warning and a wake-up call, drawing attention to global challenges that threaten our future.
BAS describes it as “a metaphor, a logo, a brand, and one of the most recognizable symbols of the last century.” The closer the clock moves to midnight, the closer the world is to catastrophe.
Apocalyptic dangers considered by the board include nuclear warfare, climate crises, disruptive technologies, and pandemics.
How is the Clock’s Time Determined?
The clock's hands are adjusted annually based on expert assessments of global risks. A panel of scientists, nuclear technology specialists, and climate experts—including ten Nobel laureates—analyzes world events and determines whether to move the clock forward or backward.
“The Bulletin is akin to a doctor making a diagnosis,” explains the BAS website. “We examine data like physicians analyze lab results and x-rays, while also considering less quantifiable factors, just as doctors do when speaking with patients. After assessing all available evidence, we make a judgment on potential outcomes if urgent action isn’t taken.”
Has the Clock Ever Moved Backward?
Yes. The most significant backward adjustment occurred in 1991 when U.S. President George H.W. Bush and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev signed the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START), reducing nuclear arsenals. This historic agreement pushed the clock back by seven minutes—the furthest it has ever been from midnight, setting it at 17 minutes away.
The Origins of the Doomsday Clock
The Doomsday Clock was established in 1947 by the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, an organization founded two years earlier by prominent figures including Albert Einstein, J. Robert Oppenheimer, and Eugene Rabinowitch, alongside scholars from the University of Chicago.
Initially, the clock was set at seven minutes to midnight. However, in 1949, following the Soviet Union’s successful test of its first atomic bomb, Rabinowitch, then the bulletin’s editor, moved the clock to three minutes to midnight.
The closest the clock had ever been before recent years was two minutes to midnight. This occurred twice: in 1953, when both the United States and the Soviet Union tested thermonuclear weapons, and in 2018, due to nuclear instability and a lack of progress on climate change.
The Clock’s Current Placement
The Doomsday Clock is housed at the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists’ offices at the University of Chicago. It remains an enduring symbol, urging global leaders and citizens alike to take meaningful action against existential threats before time runs out.