Now 89 Seconds to Midnight: Doomsday Clock Moved One Second Forward
The Science and Security Board of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists set the Doomsday Clock one second closer to midnight – from 90 seconds to 89 seconds. The purpose of the Clock is to show how close the world is to global catastrophe. First, it was believed that such a catastrophe is the use of nuclear weapons. However, the probable causes of the apocalypse now include man-made factors and ecology.
Therefore, the humanity is the closest it has ever been to catastrophe due to threats related to the development of nuclear weapons, climate change, the potential misuse of biological science and a variety of emerging technologies.
- Nuclear threats
The full-scale russia’s invasion of Ukraine is one of the main factors of an increased nuclear threat. Besides, the conflict in the Middle East threatens to get out of control and escalate into a large-scale war without warning. Countries that possess nuclear weapons are increasing the size and role of their arsenals, and the process of control over nuclear weapons is being ruined. In contrast, countries that do not possess nuclear weapons are increasingly considering the possibility of creating their own arsenals.
- Climate change
The influence of climate change increased last year, since multiple indicators, in particular, sea level rise and increase in the global temperature of surface, broke previous records. Global emissions of the greenhouse gases causing climate change continued to rise. Extreme weather conditions and other phenomena caused by climate change (floods, tropical cyclones, heat waves, droughts and forest fires) affected each continent. Long-term prediction of the world’s efforts to deal with climate change remains unfavorable, since the majority of governments fail to implement financial and political initiatives necessary to stop global warming.
- Biological threats
In the biological field, new and resurgent diseases continue to threaten the economy, society and security of the world. The emergence and spreading of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in the off-season and in-season, the infection of farm animals and dairy products with the virus, as well as the cases of human diseases gave way to a devastating pandemic. With the emergence of an increasing number of biological laboratories the likelihood that pathogens with pandemic potential could escape is rising. The rapid development of artificial intelligence has increased the risk that terrorists or countries could gain a possibility to develop biological weapons against which there are no countermeasures.
- Revolutionary technologies
A number of revolutionary technologies that are making the world even more dangerous were presented last year. Systems that include artificial intelligence into military targeting have been deployed in Ukraine and the Middle East, and several countries are moving to integrate artificial intelligence into their armed forces. Tensions between major states are more often reflected in the competition in space, where China and russia actively develop anti-satellite capabilities. The USA claimed that russia tested a satellite with a dummy warhead, which indicates about plans to put nuclear weapons into orbit.
The above threats are intensified by spreading false information, disinformation and conspiracy theories, which ruin the information medium and blur the line between the truth and lies. Achievements in the sphere of artificial intelligence make it easier to spread false information on the Internet and harder to detect it. The damaged information landscape also breeds leaders who neglect science and try to stifle free speech and human rights endangering public discussions based on facts, which are necessary to combat major threats to the world.
According to the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, the United States, China and russia have a collective force able to destroy civilization, and they bear the main responsibility for avoiding the global catastrophe.
The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists was created in 1945 by Albert Einstein, Robert Oppenheimer and scientists of the University of Chicago, who participated in the creation of the first atomic bomb within the Manhattan Project. In 1947, they created the Doomsday Clock using an image of apocalypse (midnight) and the modern idiom of a nuclear explosion (countdown to zero) to show threats to people and planet. Over the course of more than 70 years of existence, the hands on the Clock’s face have changed their position 26 times moving forward and backward. On 28 January 2025 , the clock hand moved forward by one second and it currently shows 89 seconds to midnight. While a one-second change in time may seem insignificant, it is a clear warning to world leaders that urgent actions are needed to reduce risks. If the Clock shows 00:00, the midnight will come and the world will be on the verge of a catastrophe.