The Doomsday Clock, a symbolic representation of humanity’s proximity to catastrophe, was moved closer to midnight on Tuesday amid growing concerns over nuclear weapons, climate change, and disinformation.
The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, which introduced the metaphorical clock at the start of the Cold War, adjusted its time to 85 seconds to midnight, four seconds closer than last year.
The announcement comes during US president Donald Trump’s second term, in which he has shattered global norms, and withdrawn from international organisations.
In a statement explaining the shift, the board noted that “Russia, the United States, China and other major countries have become increasingly aggressive, adversarial and nationalistic.” The decision was made after consultations with a panel that includes eight Nobel laureates.
The board added that “hard-won global understandings are collapsing, accelerating a winner-takes-all great power competition and undermining the international cooperation critical to reducing the risks of nuclear war, climate change, the misuse of biotechnology, the potential threat of artificial intelligence and other apocalyptic dangers.”
Heightened risks of a nuclear arms race were highlighted, particularly with the New START nuclear arms reduction treaty between the United States and Russia due to expire next week. The board also noted President Trump’s push for a costly “Golden Dome” missile defence system, which it said would further militarise space.
Climate change was another key factor in moving the clock forward. The board pointed to record levels of carbon dioxide emissions, describing them as the key driver of the planet’s warming temperatures. It noted that Trump had sharply reversed US climate policy, while several other countries also retreated from earlier commitments.
The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists was founded by Albert Einstein, Robert Oppenheimer, and other nuclear scientists at the University of Chicago. The Doomsday Clock was first set at seven minutes to midnight in 1947 and has moved closer in subsequent years as global threats evolved.
Last year, the clock was advanced by only one second, reflecting cautious optimism regarding Trump’s newly inaugurated promises to pursue peace.