The “doomsday clock”, symbolizing impending global catastrophe, was set today at 90 seconds to midnight, largely due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the risk of a nuclear escalation.
The announcement was made at a press conference by the group of experts that has been managing this symbolic project since 1947, the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists.
The clock was moved forward 10 seconds and now reset itself to 90 seconds from midnight, approaching the fateful hour.
According to those responsible The new clock time has also been impacted by threats related to the climate crisis and the collapse of global norms and institutions needed to mitigate risks from advancing technologies and biological threats such as Covid-19.
Since 2020, the clock has moved 100 seconds from midnight, a record since the beginning.
“We live in a time of unprecedented danger, and the watch reflects that reality. Ninety seconds to midnight is the closest the clock has ever been to midnight, and it’s a decision our experts don’t take lightly. Light”said Rachel Bronson, president of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists.
Created after World War II, the clock initially marked midnight minus 7 minutes.
In 1991, at the end of the Cold War, it was set to midnight minus 17 minutes.
In 1953, as well as in 2018 and 2019, it was midnight minus 2 minutes.
The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists was founded in 1945 by Albert Einstein and other scientists working on the Manhattan Project, which produced the first atomic bomb during World War II.
Source: DN
