Summary
The "Doomsday Clock," created by the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, is now set at 85 seconds to midnight, the closest it's ever been to symbolizing the risk of a global catastrophe. The clock represents threats like nuclear war, climate change, and the misuse of technology, highlighting increased tensions between countries and insufficient global cooperation.
Key Facts
- The "Doomsday Clock" is now at 85 seconds to midnight, indicating increased risk of global destruction.
- The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists updates this clock annually to show how close humanity is to a major global catastrophe.
- Reasons for the closer time include nuclear threats, climate change, and unregulated use of advanced technology like artificial intelligence.
- The clock was previously set at 89 seconds to midnight last year.
- Conflicts involving nuclear-armed countries, such as Russia and Ukraine, are a significant concern.
- The group emphasizes the need for international cooperation to mitigate these risks.
- They note worsening climate change events like droughts and floods, and criticize a lack of effective global climate agreements.
- President Trump's actions to promote fossil fuels and reduce renewable energy efforts were mentioned as factors contributing to climate risk.
