Clock Stands At 90 Seconds To Midnight Closest It Has Been Since 1953

Doomsday Clock Moves Closer to Midnight

Clock stands at 90 seconds to midnight, closest it has been since 1953

Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists cites increasing nuclear threats and climate change as reasons for change

The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists has moved the Doomsday Clock to 90 seconds to midnight, the closest it has been since 1953, when the United States and the Soviet Union were testing nuclear weapons.

The clock, which is a symbolic tracker that estimates the likelihood of human-made destruction, was set by the Bulletin's Science and Security Board in consultation with its Board of Sponsors.

The board cited a number of factors for moving the clock closer to midnight, including increasing nuclear threats, climate change, and the erosion of international institutions.

"The world is facing a true emergency—an unchecked nuclear arms race and a climate crisis that will soon spin out of control," said Rachel Bronson, president and CEO of the Bulletin. "The Doomsday Clock is sounding the alarm."

The board also called on world leaders to take immediate action to address these threats.

"We have the knowledge and the technology to solve these problems," said Bronson. "What we need is the political will and the leadership to do it."