Doomsday Clock Sets Danger at 90 Seconds to Midnight: Nuclear Arms Race and Climate Change Pose Global Threat
The renowned Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists has announced that the annual Doomsday Clock now stands at 90 seconds to midnight, signifying the world’s increasing proximity to catastrophe. Scientists warn of the imminent dangers resulting from a potential nuclear arms race, the escalating impacts of climate change, and the potential hazards of Artificial Intelligence.
In a recent post on the Bulletin’s Science and Security Board’s page, an image of the clock was shared along with a caption stating, Today, the Bulletin’s Science and Security Board once again sets the #DoomsdayClock at 90 seconds to midnight. Humanity continues to face an unprecedented level of danger.
The Doomsday Clock serves as a symbolic timepiece, alerting humanity to the looming threat of self-inflicted destruction. The organization revealed that China, Russia, and the United States are investing significant sums of money to expand and update their nuclear arsenals, which increases the risk of a nuclear war, both by mistake or miscalculation.
The Bulletin also attributed the change in the clock’s position to factors such as the ongoing war in Ukraine and the potential use of Israel’s nuclear arms in its conflict with Gaza.
Scientists also pointed out the lack of action on climate change and the dangers associated with the misuse of biological technologies and AI tools as contributing factors to the adjustment of the Doomsday Clock.
The Doomsday Clock was initially created by artist Martyl Langsdorf in 1947, two years after its founding by scientist J. Robert Oppenheimer and other experts who witnessed the devastating effects of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Its purpose was to exert pressure on global leaders to prevent the use of nuclear weapons in the future.
The Bulletin’s Science and Security Board determines the position of the clock annually. Since its inception, the clock has been adjusted 25 times. It was initially set at seven minutes until midnight in 1947 and was subsequently set at 17 minutes until midnight after the end of the Cold War in 1991.
Interestingly, the clock has remained steady at 90 seconds until midnight for both 2023 and this year, according to the Bulletin.
In an interview with Reuters, Rachel Bronson, President and CEO of the Bulletin, expressed concerns about the potential use of nuclear weapons by Russia and Israel and the broader implications for global security. She stated, A durable end to Russia’s war in Ukraine seems distant, and the use of nuclear weapons by Russia in that conflict remains a serious possibility. In the past year, Russia has sent numerous worrying nuclear signals… Israel’s actions, as a nuclear state, are clearly relevant to the Doomsday Clock discussion. Of particular worry is that the conflict might escalate more broadly in the region, creating a larger conventional war and drawing more nuclear powers or near-nuclear powers.
BBC reports that despite the presence of several arms control agreements, there are approximately 13,000 nuclear warheads worldwide, primarily held by Russia and the United States.
Regarding the concerns over global warming, Bronson noted that the world in 2023 entered into uncharted territory as it suffered its hottest year on record, and global greenhouse gas emissions continued to rise. Both global and North Atlantic sea-surface temperatures broke records, and Antarctic sea ice reached its lowest daily extent since the advent of satellite data.
Although substantial investments, approximately $1.7 trillion dollars, have been made in the development of clean energy, efforts to mitigate climate change are still deemed grossly insufficient by News18.
The Bulletin’s announcement serves as a stark reminder of the pressing need for global cooperation to address the risks posed by nuclear weapons, climate change, and the rampant misuse of advanced technologies. Immediate action is crucial to safeguarding the future of our planet and minimizing the threat of catastrophe.
