85 Seconds to Midnight: Why the Doomsday Clock Is Closer Than Ever
 |
| Image Source-Google | Image-By-CNN |
At the dawn of the nuclear age, scientists sought a way to communicate a terrifying truth: humanity had gained the power to destroy itself. Their solution was not a weapon or a treaty, but a symbol—the Doomsday Clock.
Nearly eight decades later, that symbol has reached its most alarming point yet. On Tuesday, the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists announced that the clock now stands at 85 seconds to midnight, the closest it has ever been to representing global catastrophe. Midnight, in this metaphor, marks the moment when Earth becomes uninhabitable due to human actions.
The shift reflects a grim reality: despite decades of warnings, the world is failing to slow—and in many cases is accelerating—the forces that threaten human survival.
What Is the Doomsday Clock?
The Doomsday Clock was created in 1947 by scientists who worked on the Manhattan Project, the effort that produced the first atomic bombs. They founded the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, a nonprofit organization dedicated to assessing threats posed by humanity’s own technologies.
Originally focused on nuclear weapons, the clock has evolved. In 2007, the Bulletin expanded its criteria to include the climate crisis and later added biological threats, disruptive technologies, and the growing dangers of misinformation and disinformation.
Each year, the clock’s time is set by the Bulletin’s Science and Security Board, in consultation with its Board of Sponsors—a group historically tied to Albert Einstein and J. Robert Oppenheimer and now including multiple Nobel laureates.
Why the Clock Moved Closer in 2025
In 2025, the clock moved from 89 seconds to midnight to 85 seconds, reflecting what Bulletin scientists describe as “insufficient progress” on multiple existential threats.
According to Bulletin President and CEO Alexandra Bell, the risks facing humanity are not stabilizing—they are compounding.
“The risks we face from nuclear weapons, climate change, and disruptive technologies are all growing. Every second counts, and we are running out of time.”
Key factors behind the decision include:
- Escalating nuclear risks
- Worsening climate impacts
- Unchecked biological threats
- Rapid advances in artificial intelligence
- The global spread of misinformation and conspiracy theories
Nuclear Tensions and the Risk of a New Arms Race
One of the most immediate dangers cited is the deterioration of nuclear safeguards. Dr. Daniel Holz, chair of the Bulletin’s Science and Security Board, warned that international cooperation has weakened rather than improved.
Conflicts involving nuclear-armed states intensified in 2025, and a critical moment looms ahead: the last remaining treaty limiting U.S. and Russian nuclear stockpiles is set to expire on February 4. If it lapses, there will be no formal barriers preventing a renewed nuclear arms race for the first time in over half a century.
Biological Threats and the Unknowns of Science
Beyond nuclear weapons, scientists are increasingly alarmed by developments in the life sciences. Emerging fields—including the creation of synthetic mirror life—pose risks that the international community is not prepared to manage.
Despite repeated warnings from researchers worldwide, there is still no coordinated global plan to address potentially devastating biological threats.
Artificial Intelligence and the Misinformation Crisis
The rapid expansion of AI technologies has introduced another layer of danger. While AI offers enormous benefits, its unregulated growth has amplified the spread of misinformation and disinformation, undermining trust in science, institutions, and democratic processes.
According to Holz, this “supercharges” every other global threat by distorting public understanding and delaying meaningful action.
Is the Doomsday Clock a Literal Measure?
The Doomsday Clock is not a precise scientific instrument. Even its creators acknowledge that it is a metaphor, designed to provoke discussion and awareness rather than predict an exact moment of collapse.
Some experts have criticized its simplicity, noting that it merges very different risks operating on different timelines. Still, many agree it remains a powerful communication tool.
As climate scientist Dr. Michael Mann has said, the clock serves as an annual reminder of “the tenuousness of our current existence on this planet.”
What Happens If the Clock Hits Midnight?
The clock has never reached midnight—and scientists hope it never will. Former Bulletin president Rachel Bronson has explained that midnight would symbolize a catastrophic event such as a large-scale nuclear exchange or irreversible climate collapse.
If that moment ever arrives, humanity may not even recognize it until it is too late.
Can We Turn Back the Clock?
History shows that the clock can move away from midnight. In 1991, it was set at 17 minutes to midnight after the United States and the Soviet Union signed the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty.
That moment stands as proof that bold political leadership, international cooperation, and sustained global action can reduce existential risks.
The Doomsday Clock is not a prediction—it is a warning. And warnings, if taken seriously, still leave room for change.
0 Comments
Share your thought ❤️