As of January 2025, the Doomsday Clock, a symbol of global existential threats, has been set to a chilling 89 seconds to midnight—the closest it has ever been to signalling humanity's potential demise. The Doomsday Clock, created in 1947 by the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, serves as a stark visual representation of the risks humanity faces, especially from man-made technologies, including nuclear weapons, climate change, and emerging biological threats. The decision to set the Clock closer to midnight comes as a warning that the world is edging perilously closer to catastrophe.

Every year, the Bulletin’s Science and Security Board, in consultation with its Board of Sponsors—which includes nine Nobel laureates—sets the time on the Doomsday Clock. The Clock’s time is adjusted based on the state of global security and the potential for widespread destruction, and it has become an essential gauge of global risks. In the past, time has been set forward or backwards in response to political events, conflicts, and advancements in science, but in recent years, it has steadily moved closer to midnight.

What Is Doomsday Clock?

Founded in 1945 by renowned figures such as Albert Einstein and J Robert Oppenheimer, the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists was established by scientists involved in the Manhattan Project, which developed the first atomic weapons. Two years later, they introduced the Doomsday Clock, using the imagery of an impending apocalypse (midnight) and a countdown to nuclear annihilation (the minutes to zero) to convey the critical threats facing humanity. 

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Single Second Closer To Catastrophe

In 2024, the Bulletin moved the Doomsday Clock from 90 seconds to 89 seconds to midnight, a decision underscoring the grave and mounting dangers the world faces. "Our fervent hope is that leaders will recognise the world’s existential predicament and take bold action to reduce the threats posed by nuclear weapons, climate change, and the potential misuse of biological science and emerging technologies," said the official press release.

This one-second shift serves as a warning to the world. It is a stark signal that humanity is already teetering on the edge, and even the slightest delay in addressing these critical issues increases the likelihood of global disaster. The message is clear: time is running out, and every second counts. 

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Nuclear Tensions, Climate Crisis, Biological Danger

The world faces escalating threats from nuclear risks, climate change, and biological hazards. The war in Ukraine remains a nuclear threat, while conflict in the Middle East could trigger a wider war. Nuclear-armed nations are expanding their arsenals, while nuclear arms control efforts collapse, prompting non-nuclear countries to consider developing their own nuclear weapons.

Climate change impacts are worsening, with record-breaking temperature rises and extreme weather events affecting every continent. Governments are failing to address global warming adequately. In biology, emerging diseases, including avian influenza, pose pandemic risks, and poorly regulated high-containment labs increase the potential for biological warfare.