Humanity ‘a second closer’ to Doomsday, scientists say
Humanity is officially a second closer to world annihilation on the so-called Doomsday Clock, scientists say.
The symbolic timepiece now sits at 89 seconds to midnight – representing Armageddon – a second closer than a year ago.
It’s also the nearest the clock has ever been to midnight in its 78-year history.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.The Bulletin of Atomic Scientists, which decides where the hands are set, cited the Russia-Ukraine war, ongoing conflicts in the Middle East, the threat of nuclear war, climate change, a looming bird flu pandemic and the AI arms race for the not-so-cheerful update.
The Chicago-based non-profit organisation created the Doomsday Clock in 1947 during Cold War tensions that followed the Second World War – to warn the public about how close humankind was to destroying the world.
“We set the clock closer to midnight because we do not see sufficient positive progress on the global challenges we face,” said Daniel Holz, a board member and physicist at the University of Chicago.
“Setting the Doomsday Clock at 89 seconds to midnight is a warning to all world leaders,” he added.
Since 2023, the hands have been set at 90 seconds to midnight, but this year scientists moved it forward to reflect recent troubling global events.
