Last month, the “Doomsday Clock” moved closer to midnight than it has ever been. The move reflects the serious problems the world faces.
The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, which set up the clock in 1947, is concerned about nuclear weapons, climate change and the spread of misinformation. They moved the clock to 85 seconds to midnight, which is four seconds closer than last year.
What is the Doomsday Clock?
The Doomsday Clock is a symbol that shows how close people are to destroying the world. The clock uses the phrase “minutes to midnight” to warn how much time we have left before a big disaster happens.
The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists updates the Doomsday Clock each year to warn humanity.
The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists was founded by Albert Einstein, Robert Oppenheimer and other nuclear scientists at the University of Chicago. They initially placed the clock at seven minutes to midnight in 1947 (see graphic).
They had seen the impact of nuclear weapons at the end of World War II when the US dropped atomic weapons on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. They aimed to pressure world leaders to make sure nuclear weapons were never used again.
In 2007, the group began including climate change as one of the factors.
Why are we closer to midnight now?
According to a statement, the decision to change the clock was made after talking with a group that included eight Nobel Prize winners.
The statement warned about the increasing dangers of nuclear war, climate change, the misuse of biotechnology and the risks of artificial intelligence.
The Doomsday Clock board said there is a bigger chance of countries racing to get more nuclear weapons.
This is because the New START treaty, an agreement between the United States and Russia to reduce the number of nuclear weapons each country had, ended earlier this month.
US President Donald Trump has threatened to resume nuclear testing and is pushing a costly “Golden Dome” missile defence system that would further militarise space.
The board members also voiced alarm over Trump’s crackdown in the US state of Minnesota. He has sent masked, armed anti-immigration agents who have aggressively repressed protesters.
Trump has also ordered military attacks in other countries and pulled the country out of many international groups.
The board also noted record levels of carbon dioxide emissions, the key driver of the planet’s warming. Trump has sharply reversed US policy on fighting climate change, and several other countries have followed in his footsteps.
Board members also warned of the dangers of misinformation and fake news.
“Technology ... spreads lies faster than facts and profits from our division,” said Maria Ressa. She is an investigative journalist from the Philippines and a Nobel Peace Prize winner.
