Doomsday Clock Moves Closer to "Midnight"

On January 28, the symbolic Doomsday Clock, established 78 years ago to represent the extent of global threats, was set to 89 seconds before midnight. This marks the most alarming setting in the clock's history since it was first introduced in 1947 by a group of scientists involved in the Manhattan Project, reports NewsBox.

Midnight on this clock symbolizes the moment when humanity makes the planet uninhabitable, writes CNN.

For the past two years, the hands were set at 90 seconds to midnight, but in 2025, scientists from the "Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists" decided to move the clock even closer. Major reasons include global instability caused by the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the threat of nuclear arms races, ongoing crises in the Middle East, and intensifying impacts of climate change.

During a briefing, Daniel Holtz, chair of the "Bulletin's" Science and Security Board, noted humanity's insufficient progress in addressing global challenges.

"The threats of nuclear weapons, climate crises, biological risks, and unchecked development of disruptive technologies like artificial intelligence pose existential risks to civilization," he emphasized.

Holtz also highlighted growing dangers from misinformation, which undermines trust in facts and fuels crises.

History and Symbolism of the Doomsday ClockThe concept of the clock was created in 1947 as a way to gauge the threat of nuclear war. Initially, it focused solely on nuclear risks, but since 2007, it also considers climate change and other global challenges.

The clock is adjusted annually by experts from the Science and Security Board, in collaboration with the Board of Sponsors, which includes Nobel Laureates. One of the founding members of the board was Albert Einstein.

Over the years, the clock's time has shifted according to levels of global risk. In 1991, with the end of the Cold War, the hands moved 17 minutes away from midnight—a record distance. However, in recent decades, the clock has been inching closer to the symbolic "end."