The hands of the Doomsday Clock, which symbolize the threat of global catastrophe, have been moved forward by four seconds. According to Reuters, the clock's hands have never been so close to midnight, a symbol of global nuclear catastrophe, UNN reports.
Details
On Tuesday, atomic scientists set the Doomsday Clock closer than ever to midnight, citing the aggressive behavior of nuclear powers Russia, China, and the United States, the erosion of nuclear arms control, conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, and fears about artificial intelligence among the factors increasing the risks of global catastrophe.
The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists set the clock at 85 seconds to midnight, the theoretical point of annihilation. This is four seconds closer than it was set last year. The Chicago-based non-profit organization created the clock in 1947 during the Cold War tensions that followed World War II to warn the public about how close humanity was to destroying the world.
Scientists expressed concern about the threats of unregulated integration of artificial intelligence into military systems and its potential misuse to create biological threats, as well as AI's role in spreading disinformation worldwide. They also noted the ongoing challenges posed by climate change.
"Of course, the Doomsday Clock is about global risks, and what we've seen is a global failure of leadership," nuclear policy expert Alexandra Bell, president and CEO of the Bulletin, told Reuters. "Regardless of the government, the shift to neo-imperialism and an Orwellian approach to governance will only lead to the clock moving closer to midnight."
The publication notes that this was the third time in the last four years that scientists have moved the clock closer to midnight.
"Regarding nuclear risks, nothing has changed in the right direction in 2025," Bell said. "Long-term diplomatic structures are under pressure or collapsing, the threat of explosive nuclear tests has returned, proliferation fears are growing, and three military operations have been conducted under the cover of nuclear weapons and the associated threat of escalation. The risk of nuclear weapons use is unacceptably high."
Bell pointed to Russia's continued war in Ukraine, the US and Israeli bombing of Iran, and border clashes between India and Pakistan. Bell also mentioned ongoing tensions in Asia, particularly on the Korean Peninsula, and China's threats to Taiwan, as well as rising tensions in the Western Hemisphere since US President Donald Trump returned to office 12 months ago.
Recall
The Doomsday Clock is a project of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists magazine, which has existed since 1947. The decision to move the hands (or to leave them in place) is made annually by the magazine's board of directors with the participation of experts and scientists.
Initially, the clock was set at 23:53. The greatest distance from midnight (23:43) was recorded in 1991, after the end of the Cold War.