‘Doomsday Clock’ moves closer to midnight over threats from nuclear weapons, climate change and AI

Earth now faces unprecedented threats to human survival, with the Doomsday Clock moving closer than ever to midnight, according to the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists.

In their latest assessment announced Tuesday, the science-based advocacy group advanced the symbolic clock to just 85 seconds before midnight, four seconds closer than last year’s already alarming 89 seconds. This represents the closest humanity has ever come to potential catastrophe since the clock’s inception in 1947.

The scientists cited a dangerous confluence of global threats driving this decision, including rising geopolitical tensions, nuclear proliferation risks, climate change, unregulated technological advancements, and deteriorating international cooperation.

“Hard-won global understandings are collapsing, accelerating a winner-takes-all great power competition and undermining the international cooperation needed to reduce existential risks,” the group stated in their announcement. They specifically pointed to Russia, China, the United States, and other nations becoming “increasingly aggressive, adversarial, and nationalistic” in their approach to global affairs.

The escalating risk of nuclear conflict remains a primary concern. The scientists highlighted the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, recent tensions between nuclear-armed India and Pakistan, and questions surrounding Iran’s nuclear capabilities following military strikes by the U.S. and Israel as particularly worrying developments.

Daniel Holz, chair of the group’s science and security board, emphasized that international collaboration is essential for human survival. “If the world splinters into an us-versus-them, zero-sum approach, it increases the likelihood that we all lose,” Holz warned during the announcement.

Climate change also featured prominently in the assessment. The scientists noted increasingly severe droughts, heat waves, and floods linked to global warming, alongside a failure of nations to implement meaningful agreements to address climate threats. The group specifically criticized U.S. policies favoring fossil fuels over renewable energy development.

Emerging technologies present additional dangers, with the scientists expressing concern about the potential misuse of biotechnology and the rapid development of artificial intelligence without adequate safeguards or international oversight.

The Doomsday Clock was created in 1947 as a visual representation of humanity’s proximity to self-destruction. During more optimistic periods, such as the end of the Cold War, the clock stood at 17 minutes to midnight. In recent years, as global risks have intensified, the group shifted from counting down minutes to counting down seconds.

Despite the grim assessment, the scientists emphasized that reversing course remains possible. They stressed that collaborative leadership and renewed commitment to addressing these existential threats could move the clock’s hands backward, creating a safer future for humanity.

The annual Doomsday Clock announcement serves as both a warning and a call to action for world leaders and citizens alike, highlighting the critical need for cooperative global solutions to humanity’s most pressing challenges.