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The Doomsday Clock, a symbol by a panel of international scientists that represents the likelihood of a man-made global catastrophe, was set at 90 seconds to midnight, largely as a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the increased risk of nuclear escalation.
The Doomsday Clock’s time is set by the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists’ Science and Security Board with the support of the Bulletin’s Board of Sponsors, which includes 10 Nobel Laureates.
The new Clock time is the closest to midnight since it was established in 1947. Previously, the Doomsday Clock had been set at 100 seconds to midnight since 2020.
The was also influenced by continuing threats posed by the climate crisis and the breakdown of global norms and institutions needed to mitigate risks associated with advancing technologies and biological threats such as Covid-19.
Rachel Bronson, PhD, president and CEO, Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, said, “We are living in a time of unprecedented danger, and the Doomsday Clock time reflects that reality. 90 seconds to midnight is the closest the Clock has ever been set to midnight, and it’s a decision our experts do not take lightly. The US government, its NATO allies and Ukraine have a multitude of channels for dialogue; we urge leaders to explore all of them to their fullest ability to turn back the Clock.
