With its “Doomsday Clock,” the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, a philanthropic organization, is once again bringing attention to global issues. The Doomsday Clock serves as a measure of the likelihood of a global catastrophe. The organization announced on Tuesday that the clock remains at 90 seconds to midnight, the same position as the previous year. They highlighted Israel’s use of nuclear weapons in Gaza, the ongoing Ukraine War, and the evolving cultural landscape.
The concept of midnight signifies the moment of complete global annihilation, as stated by the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. The organization warns that Earth and its inhabitants face “existential” threats, including challenges from emerging technologies like synthetic biology and artificial intelligence, alongside nuclear proliferation and climate change.
Rachel Bronson serves as the president and CEO of the Bulletin. She emphasized that maintaining the same time on the clock as the previous year does not indicate global stability.
Visitors at the Beijing Exhibition Hall in Beijing on October 12, 2022, have the opportunity to view defense vehicles transporting the Dong Feng 41 and DF-17 nuclear weapons. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)
The organization expressed concerns on Tuesday that concerning trends continue to point towards impending catastrophe. The modernization of nuclear arsenals by China, Russia, and the US raises the risk of a nuclear conflict triggered by error or miscalculation.
Tensions with the West have escalated to levels not seen since the Cold War following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine nearly two years ago. Bronson warned that Russia’s aggressive actions could potentially lead to the use of nuclear weapons. She highlighted unsettling signals sent by Russia over the past year.
Bronson specifically mentioned Vladimir Putin’s decision in February 2023 to withdraw from the New START treaty with the US, which previously limited the nuclear capabilities of both nations. The US and Russia collectively possess almost 90% of the world’s nuclear weapons.
Bronson also referenced Putin’s actions in March, including the deployment of nuclear weapons to Belarus and the rejection of a nuclear test-ban treaty. Additionally, Russian expert Sergei Karaganov’s threat of nuclear strikes in Europe as a means of intimidation was noted.
The organization’s panel of experts includes Alexander Glaser from Princeton University, specializing in nuclear systems and climate science.
According to Glaser, the current situation on the nuclear front appears grim.
On January 24, 2024, Palestinians surveyed the aftermath of an Israeli strike on a building in Rafah, located in the southwestern Gaza Strip. (Fadi Shana/REUTERS)
Since October 2023, when Hamas, a Palestinian Islamist group based in Gaza, initiated attacks on southern Israel, a conflict has escalated between Israel, armed with nuclear weapons, and Hamas. Bronson warned that this conflict could escalate into a significant crisis in the Middle East.
In 2007, a cultural shift was incorporated into the clock’s considerations. Bronson highlighted that 2023 marked the hottest month on record since satellite temperature measurements began in 1979. She expressed concerns over the continuous rise in fossil fuel emissions.
Bronson noted that 2023 saw a historic level of investment in clean energy, totaling \(1.7 trillion. However, investments in fossil fuels also remained substantial, nearing \)1 trillion. She criticized the inadequate efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, emphasizing that the poorest populations are disproportionately impacted by climate change effects.
The Chicago-based volunteers who initiated the clock at the onset of the Cold War in 1947 established the Bulletin in 1945. The founding team included prominent figures such as Robert Oppenheimer and renowned academics like Albert Einstein.
