What is the Doomsday Clock and What Happens When it Strikes Midnight?

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The Doomsday Clock has become a trending topic due to escalating tensions in different parts of the world, raising fears of a new global war. The clock is currently set at 90 seconds to midnight—a symbolic threshold representing humanity's annihilation. But what is it, and is it real?

Although the Doomsday Clock doesn't physically tick, it carries a grave message. Created in 1947 by the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, it serves as a conceptual symbol highlighting the possibility of global catastrophe threatening the survival of humanity as we know it.

According to scientists, the "fictitious time" is periodically adjusted, with the clock moving closer to midnight as global threats intensify.

The adjustment of the clock is based on expert evaluations of worldwide risks by specialists in security, science, and international policy. Key factors include:

1. Nuclear Wars: The proliferation of nuclear weapons and disputes among nations with nuclear capabilities.
2. Climate Change: Rising global temperatures, climate disasters, and the lack of effective action against global warming.
3. Mishandled Technological Advances: Risks from artificial intelligence, biological technologies, and cybersecurity vulnerabilities.
4. Political and Geopolitical Conflicts: Situations that could lead to wars or global instability.

Currently, all these factors are in play and intensifying, but the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine has heightened the sense of urgency, bringing the clock closer to the symbolic midnight.

Significant Moments in the Doomsday Clock's History

• 1947: The clock was created and set at seven minutes to midnight.
• 1953: After hydrogen bomb tests by the U.S. and the Soviet Union, it moved to two minutes to midnight.
• 1991: The clock is furthest away from midnight in history—17 minutes
• 2023: The clock reached its closest point to midnight—90 seconds—due to geopolitical tensions (such as the war in Ukraine), the climate emergency, and technological risks.

While the Doomsday Clock doesn't measure actual time, it serves as a powerful visual alert and a call to action for world leaders and citizens alike to do all that they can to keep humanity alive. With it being closer to midnight than it has ever been, it also serves as a stark reminder that today's decisions directly shape humanity's future. The clock was last updated at the beginning of 2024, and is expected to do so again in early 2025.