Doomsday Clock Reaches Its Most Critical Moment: 'Humanity Edging Closer To Catastrophe'
Date
1/28/2025 3:19:34 PM
(MENAFN- Live Mint) The Doomsday Clock, which symbolizes the proximity of humanity to global catastrophe, has been moved to 89 seconds to midnight, the closest it has ever been in its 78-year history. The time change, announced on January 2025, reflects the escalating risks posed by nuclear weapons, climate change, artificial intelligence, infectious diseases, and ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East.
The world on the brink
The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists' Science and Security Board (SASB) cited several existential threats as reasons for moving the Doomsday Clock closer to midnight. These threats include the persistent danger of nuclear conflict, worsening climate change, the misuse of biological science, and disruptive technologies like artificial intelligence.
“The world is on a course of unprecedented risk, and continuing on this path is a form of madness,” said the statement from the SASB. "The United States, China, and Russia have the prime responsibility to pull the world back from the brink. The world depends on immediate action."
A call for global action
The Doomsday Clock 's time is set annually by the SASB, in consultation with its Board of Sponsors, including nine Nobel Laureates. The 2025 announcement urges national leaders to take bold steps to mitigate these risks. Daniel Holz, PhD, Chair of SASB, emphasized the urgency:
"The purpose of the Doomsday Clock is to start a global conversation about the very real existential threats that keep the world's top scientists awake at night. National leaders must commence discussions about these global risks before it's too late. Reflecting on these life-and-death issues and starting a dialogue are the first steps to turning back the Clock and moving away from midnight.”."
Global instability
Juan Manuel Santos, former President of Colombia and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, also joined in the 2025 announcement, underscoring the need for international cooperation.
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