The Doomsday Clock, a symbolic representation of how close humanity is to potential extinction, has been adjusted to 89 seconds to midnight this year.
This change follows last year’s position of 90 seconds, which remained unchanged due to ongoing conflicts in Ukraine, Israel, Gaza, and heightened tensions between China and Taiwan.
The re-election of prominent and often divisive political figures, including Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin, Narendra Modi, and Nicolas Maduro, has been suggested as a contributing factor to this year’s adjustment.
Additionally, climate change has increasingly influenced the clock’s movement, with recent events such as severe wildfires in California and powerful hurricanes displacing thousands of people.
The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, which is responsible for setting the clock, has identified several key factors for the recent change.
These include nuclear escalation, the impacts of climate change, and biological threats associated with diseases like Covid-19 and Avian flu.
Furthermore, the announcement highlighted the influence of disruptive technologies, particularly artificial intelligence, along with the rise of misinformation and conspiracy theories as significant contributors to the decision.
Overall, the symbolic clock serves as a reminder of the pressing global challenges we face, as assessed by the experts at the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists.
