Just when you thought things could not get worse, the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists set the Doomsday Clock at 89 seconds to midnight, the closest the harbinger of humanity’s self-destruction has ever been since its inception in 1947.
The decision reflects growing concerns over global existential risks, with the world’s top scientists warning that humanity is perilously close to catastrophe factors including nuclear weapons, climate crisis, artificial intelligence, infectious diseases, and wars in Ukraine and the Middle East.
“The Doomsday Clock is not just a symbol; it’s a mirror reflecting our collective failure to act. We are running out of time to rewrite our future, and every second wasted is a betrayal of generations to come,” said Lisa McCormick, a progressive Democrat who often criticizes her own party leaders and took nearly four of ten votes away from corrupt US Senator Bob Menendez in New Jersey’s 2018 primary election.
“The Doomsday Clock is a stark reminder that we are becoming the architects of the Earth’s rising fever and our own demise. The question is whether humanity will act with the urgency this moment demands,” said McCormick. “The Doomsday Clock is a scientific warning, but it’s also a moral one. We have the tools to avert catastrophe—innovation, collaboration, and compassion. We should use them as a metaphor for our age—a time when humanity’s power to destroy outpaces its wisdom to create—and choose enlightenment over extinction.”
The Doomsday Clock, a symbolic measure of global threats, has been set annually by the Bulletin’s Science and Security Board (SASB), in consultation with the Board of Sponsors, which includes nine Nobel Laureates.
The time represents the calculated distance between humanity and a potential global disaster, with midnight symbolizing the point at which human civilization and the planet would be irreparably harmed.
The latest adjustment, moving one second closer to midnight, signals heightened global instability.
Among the major factors influencing the decision are nuclear weapon proliferation, the ongoing climate crisis, the escalating conflict in Ukraine, rising tensions in the Middle East, and the growing risks posed by emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and biological threats.
The risk of nuclear conflict remains a dominant concern. Tensions between nuclear powers, including the U.S., Russia, and China, have intensified. Russia’s suspension of the New START treaty and withdrawal from the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, coupled with China’s rapid expansion of its nuclear arsenal, have raised alarms.
Meanwhile, the United States’ increasing reliance on nuclear weapons and its posture suggesting the “limited” use of such arms adds to the danger of a nuclear escalation.
Manpreet Sethi, PhD, a member of the SASB, noted, “The risk of nuclear use continues to grow due to capabilities building up and treaties breaking down. Misplaced confidence in ‘limited’ nuclear warfare could lead us into catastrophic conflict.”
Another major concern is the integration of artificial intelligence into warfare.
Proposals to employ AI in military decision-making, particularly in the use of nuclear weapons, raise serious ethical and safety questions. As AI continues to evolve, there are growing worries about its role in autonomous weapons systems, which could operate without human intervention.
Additionally, the misuse of biological science—whether through the proliferation of pathogens or unethical research—has prompted increasing concern. Suzet McKinney, DrPH, of the SASB, warned that the proliferation of pathogen laboratories and the potential for AI to aid in biological warfare are risks that require urgent attention from global leaders.
The climate crisis continues to accelerate. The year 2024 marked the hottest year on record, with extreme weather events—floods, droughts, wildfires—causing widespread devastation.
Yet global emissions remain high, and efforts to mitigate the impacts of climate change have not matched the urgency of the situation.
Robert Socolow, PhD, a member of the SASB, pointed out that policy and investment in climate change adaptation remain insufficient, particularly in the face of political challenges in key countries.
While the COVID-19 pandemic brought global health risks into sharp focus, infectious diseases continue to pose a significant threat.
The SASB emphasized the growing skepticism about public health measures and the proliferation of high-containment biological laboratories around the world.
The risk of biological warfare and the misuse of AI in biomedical research are additional dangers that could exacerbate global instability.
Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Juan Manuel Santos, Chair of The Elders, echoed the call for urgent action: “The existential threats we face can only be addressed through bold leadership and partnership on a global scale. Every second counts.”
The Bulletin’s decision to move the Clock closer to midnight underscores the growing urgency for international cooperation and decisive action to address these global challenges. As the clock ticks ever closer to midnight, the world’s top scientists urge national leaders to prioritize the risks posed by nuclear weapons, climate change, emerging technologies, and biological threats to avoid irreversible damage to humanity and the planet.
The Doomsday Clock’s history reflects a world ever more vulnerable to the dangers of its own creation. As global instability continues to rise, the world’s greatest minds continue to warn that the time for change is now.