Atomic scientists move the Doomsday Clock closer to apocalypse

The Doomsday Clock now stands at 89 seconds to midnight. Photo: Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists

On January 28, the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists announced that the hands of the Doomsday Clock have moved forward – to 89 seconds to midnight, bringing the world closer to apocalypse. According to scientist Daniel Holz, this is the shortest time to 'nuclear midnight' the world has ever approached, as reported by Uchicago.news.

"The world has not made sufficient progress on existential risks threatening all of humanity. In setting the clock closer to midnight, we send a stark signal," added Daniel Holz, professor of astronomy and astrophysics at the University of Chicago and chair of the Science and Security Board of the Bulletin, which sets the Clock's hands.

The Bulletin was established shortly after the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki by a group of scientists from the Manhattan Project, many of whom worked at the University of Chicago. In 1947, the iconic Doomsday Clock was created to illustrate how close humanity is to self-destruction.

Over the past 75 years, the hands of the clock have moved both backward and forward, according to whether steps were taken to address threats that could end human civilization on Earth, including climate change and nuclear war.

"Because the world is already perilously close to the precipice, any move towards midnight should be taken as an indication of extreme danger and an unmistakable warning," Holz stated at a press conference.

In their decision, scientists cite the growing impact of climate change, the global shift toward nuclear weapons deployment, and the use of generative AI in disinformation campaigns, military applications, and beyond.

The Clock is not meant to instill fear but rather to spur action. "There is still time to make the right choices to turn back the hands of the Doomsday Clock," said Juan Manuel Santos, chair of The Elders, former president of Colombia, and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, at the press conference. "In Colombia, we say: ‘Cada segunda cuenta’ – every second counts. Let us use each one wisely."

As previously reported by the UOJ, leading scientists around the world have warned of an unprecedented threat to life on Earth.

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