The American scientific journal "Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists" has updated the symbolic Doomsday Clock, setting it at 23:58:35 — the closest to global catastrophe in the project's 79-year history.
Key Indicator Changes
As of January 27, 2025, the Doomsday Clock hands have moved to 85 seconds before "nuclear midnight". The journal's director, Alexandra Bell, stated that humanity has not made progress in overcoming existential risks.
Threat Factors
- Escalation of nuclear tension between leading world countries
- Growth of geopolitical conflicts
- Weakening of international cooperation
- Development of destructive technologies
For the first time in almost 80 years of the project, the indicator has approached a critical point symbolizing potential global catastrophe.
Project History
The Doomsday Clock was established in 1947 at the University of Chicago by a group of scientists, including Albert Einstein and Robert Oppenheimer. Initially, it measured nuclear war risks, and since 2007, it has also considered climate changes and technological threats.
The most distant point from catastrophe was in 1991 — 17 minutes to midnight, which coincided with the end of the Cold War.
