What is the Doomsday Clock and why does it now stand just 85 seconds from midnight

Announcing the latest update Tuesday, the Bulletin said the risks facing humanity are increasing, while the willingness of nations to work together is fading. Alexandra Bell, president and chief executive of the organisation, said the message behind the clock could not be clearer.

“Catastrophic risks are rising, cooperation is falling, and time is running out,” Bell said, adding that while the situation is serious, it is not hopeless. She urged governments and citizens to push for urgent action before it is too late.

According to the Bulletin, tensions between major powers continue to worsen. Countries like the United States, China, and Russia are becoming more antagonistic, nationalistic, and wary of one another. Long-standing agreements and shared norms that once reduced the likelihood of conflict are crumbling. In their place, scientists see a dangerous “winner-takes-all” mindset shaping global politics.

The group pointed to several conflicts that heightened risks over the past year. These included Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine, clashes between India and Pakistan in May, and military strikes by the United States and Israel on Iran in June. Each conflict, the Bulletin said, raised the chances of escalation involving nuclear-armed states.

Climate change was another major factor behind the clock’s move. Scientists said national and global responses to the climate crisis remain deeply inadequate. They criticised recent United Nations climate conferences for failing to strongly commit to phasing out fossil fuels or enforcing strict monitoring of carbon emissions. The Bulletin also warned that efforts to fight global warming have been hampered by the policy decisions made by major economies.

The group also recognised some encouraging advancements, in 2024, renewable energy, particularly solar and wind power, kept expanding quickly. For the first time, renewable and nuclear sources together generated more than 40 per cent of the world’s electricity. However, scientists said progress is still far too slow to offset the growing damage caused by climate change.

From Cold War anxieties to contemporary worldwide dangers

When the Doomsday Clock was first introduced in the early stages of the Cold War, it was primarily concerned with the threat posed by nuclear weapons. Over the years, its setting has undergone numerous changes. Following the end of the Cold War and significant nuclear arms reductions by both the US and Russia, the safest moment occurred in 1991 when the clock stood at 17 minutes to midnight.

Since then, the clock has steadily moved forward again. In recent years, scientists have expanded their concerns beyond nuclear war to include climate change, advances in biotechnology, and the rapid rise of artificial intelligence.

Speaking at the announcement ceremony, Daniel Holz, chair of the Bulletin’s science and security board, warned that growing nationalism and authoritarian rule are making global problems harder to solve. He said humanity’s biggest challenges require trust and cooperation across borders.

“A world divided into ‘us versus them’ makes everyone less safe,” Holz said.

With the clock now closer to midnight than ever before, scientists say the warning is stark: humanity is running out of time to change course.