Catastrophe is coming: the hands of the Doomsday Clock have been moved even closer to the symbolic north

One more second closer to global catastrophe. Such a verdict was issued by the experts of the Bulletin’s Science and Security Council, in agreement with the Board of Sponsors, which was first founded by Albert Einstein, and moved the hands of the iconic clock to mark 89 seconds to the symbolic midnight.

Every year for the past 78 years, the magazine Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists publishes a new version of the Doomsday Clock, which symbolizes how close or far humanity is from the point of self-destruction. The next update of the Clock will be announced today, January 28, at 17:00 Kyiv time during a live broadcast. Until then, information about the new position of the shooters will remain a strict secret.

The Doomsday Clock is a metaphor for how close humanity has come to a global catastrophe that could lead to its self-destruction. It serves as a kind of symbol-reminder about the level of threats facing the world. True, in popular culture you can also find ironic statements about the symbolic Clock. For example, a character from Alan Moore’s graphic novel The Guardians remarked rather skeptically: “It is as useful to the intellect as a photograph of oxygen is to a drowning man“. However, there is only a part of irony in this irony, since the Doomsday Clock itself not only reminds of the existing risks, but also prompts reflection on ways to avoid them. It contains a call to action: if we ignore the threats now, we cannot respond when it is too late.

Other challenges have been added to the nuclear threat

The project is supported by the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, an organization founded in 1945 by a group of scientists from the University of Chicago. Previously, they participated in the development of the first nuclear weapons as part of the Manhattan Project.

Initially, the Clock was supposed to symbolize only the danger of a nuclear conflict, but later its meaning expanded, because the number of man-made threats from the side of humanity increased. It now also reflects other global threats, including climate change, the development of artificial intelligence and biotechnology, and geopolitical tensions.

Infographic: IA “FACT”

The decision to change the position of the arrows is made by the Science and Safety Council of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, which includes leading scientists, experts in nuclear safety and ecology, as well as Nobel Prize winners.

As of the previous update in 2024, the hands of the Clock were located at a record close distance – 90 seconds to midnight. This time is considered the most dangerous in human history due to the simultaneous influence of a number of factors – nuclear threats, climate change, military conflicts and breakthrough technologies. A list of all these challenges can be seen on the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists website. For example, the Bulletin presents a powerful technology vertical, which monitors the latest scientific breakthroughs that can not only change our lives, but also bring with them serious threats. These technologies cover everything from biological threats to artificial intelligence that creates new realities, autonomous weapons that can operate without human intervention, to surveillance systems that already monitor our every move today. Cyberspace, in turn, becomes an arena for information wars that can turn the global ecosystem into real chaos. All these questions worry scientists who consider ethical dilemmas and look for possible ways of responsible use of the latest achievements.

The following announcement regarding the Doomsday Clock is attracting considerable attention from both the scientific and political community, as it reflects an objective assessment of the threats facing humanity in the modern world.

How did the position of the hands on the symbolic Clock change?

Infographic: IA “FACT”

1947 – The Beginning (7 minutes to midnight)

This is the year when the symbolic Doomsday Clock was first introduced to the world. It was created by scientists who participated in the Manhattan Project to show the risks of global self-destruction. The clock was then set at 7 minutes to midnight, highlighting the threat of nuclear disaster that arose from the post-World War II arms race between nations. The use of nuclear weapons in Hiroshima and Nagasaki demonstrated the scale of the potential disaster.

1953 – 2 minutes to midnight

This year was marked by the most dangerous moment at that time: the USA and the Soviet Union tested thermonuclear bombs almost simultaneously. These were weapons of mass destruction more powerful than atomic bombs. The start of the thermonuclear arms race caused horror in the world community, because for the first time the reality of the complete destruction of humanity became quite possible.

1962 – 7 minutes to midnight

The Caribbean crisis, or the “Cuba crisis”, became the peak of tension between the USA and the USSR, when the world was on the brink of nuclear war. However, after the settlement of the conflict, which ended in a peace agreement, the tension began to subside. The conclusion of the Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty was the first significant step towards reducing the nuclear threat.

1984 – 3 minutes to midnight

Cold War tensions reached a new peak. The deployment of medium-range nuclear missiles in Europe by both sides (NATO and the Warsaw Pact) created the risk of a quick conflict. International cooperation was minimal, and the risk of false missile launches due to technical or human factors became increasingly real.

1991 – 17 minutes to midnight (safest time)

The collapse of the Soviet Union and the conclusion of treaties between the United States and Russia on the reduction of strategic offensive weapons (SNO) marked the beginning of a new stage in international relations. The Cold War ended and the world looked forward to a long period of peace and security. This was the farthest time the hands of the Clock were from “north”.

2002 – 7 minutes to midnight

The situation began to deteriorate again. The US withdrew from the missile defense treaty, which created tension in relations with Russia. In addition, after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the world faced a new type of threat – terrorism that could use nuclear materials. This became an alarming signal for the international community.

2018 – 2 minutes to midnight

The times have come again when humanity has approached one of its most dangerous moments. Global conflicts, such as tensions between the US, North Korea and Iran, have increased the risk of nuclear war. At the same time, the global community demonstrated inefficiency in the fight against climate change, which further aggravated the situation.

2020 – 100 seconds to midnight (most dangerous time)

For the first time, the hands of the Doomsday Clock were moved closer than ever. The world faced a combination of threats: the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated the weakness of international cooperation, tensions between major nuclear powers remained high, and global action on climate change was insufficient. It was a warning that the time to act was running out.

2023 – 90 seconds to midnight (record close)

Russia’s war against Ukraine became a factor that significantly increased the risk of nuclear escalation. For the first time since the Cold War, the threat of using nuclear weapons has become real again. In addition, the effects of climate change continue to grow, threatening ecosystems and the lives of millions of people.

How are the positions of the arrows determined?

Each year, members of the Science and Security Council answer two key questions:

• Has humanity become safer this year or, on the contrary, found itself at greater risk compared to last year?
• Is the current state safer or more dangerous compared to the 78 years that the Doomsday Clock has been around?

The answers to these questions determine how close the hands of the clock will be to “midnight” in the current year.