The Doomsday Clock just moved forward again. We’re now at 89 seconds to midnight—the closest humanity has ever been to self-inflicted oblivion.
This symbolic clock, maintained by the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, has been ticking away since 1947, measuring how close we are to catastrophe. It started as a nuclear warning. Now, it reflects all the threats we’ve cooked up—climate disasters, biological weapons, rogue AI, and geopolitical chaos.
This year’s shift? It’s just one second forward, but that second speaks volumes.
Why Did the Clock Move?
In short: the world is a mess.
- Wars and nuclear tension – Russia’s war in Ukraine, nuclear posturing, and crumbling arms agreements make for a deadly mix.
- AI and tech risks – Artificial intelligence, deepfakes, and autonomous weapons could rewrite warfare and destabilize truth itself.
- Climate change – Disasters are getting worse, and global action isn’t keeping up.
The clock is a warning, but it’s also a mirror—showing us just how much we’re flirting with disaster. There’s a report that goes with the shift, that outlines all the concerns that impact the clock’s setting.
Has It Ever Been This Bad?
No. This is the closest we’ve ever been.
The furthest? 1991—when the Cold War ended, and the world took a collective deep breath at 17 minutes to midnight. Since then, we’ve been creeping toward catastrophe, one crisis at a time.
A visual dive into the clock’s history? Check this out: A History of the Doomsday Clock in 4 Minutes
What Does This Mean for Us?
For sci-fi lovers, futurists, and anyone who enjoys imagining the world just before it falls apart—this is familiar territory. We write about it. We read about it. But we’re also living it.
If the Doomsday Clock were a novel, we’d be in the final act—the part where the characters make one last choice before everything either collapses… or finds a way forward.
Which way do you think we’re headed?
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