The doomsday clock, a chilling symbol of humanity's proximity to self-inflicted disaster, has been moved closer to midnight, indicating an increased risk of a man-made catastrophe. The ominous timepiece, first introduced in 1947, is used to assess the likelihood of human-induced calamity.
In 2023, it stood at 90 seconds to midnight and remained unchanged in 2024. Scientists attributed its perilously close position to the Ukraine conflict and the proliferation of nuclear arms.
Since 2007, emerging threats such as artificial intelligence have also been factored into the assessment. The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, a group established by Manhattan Project scientists at the University of Chicago, delivered the grim update today, announcing that we are now just 89 seconds from midnight.
Considerations included climate change and the persistent menace of nuclear weaponry. Following the announcement, former Colombian president and Bulletin member, Juan Manuel Santos, commented: "The clock is a stark diagnosis of our reality - we stand closer to human catastrophe than ever before."
He added: "2024 was the hottest year on record, destroying lives across the globe. The only effective response is for nations to come together. This is why it's alarming that President Trump has withdrawn from the Paris Climate Agreement.", reports the Mirror.
Santos also expressed concern over America's withdrawal from the World Health Organisation, describing it as "another worrisome decision that will have huge ramifications for global health security".
Last year, the bigwigs at the Bulletin had alarm bells ringing about China, Russia and the US military powers beefing up their nuke kits. They were proper spooked that a nuclear ruck could start by accident or slip-up.
Professor Daniel Holz from the University of Chicago was getting preachy when he said: "The number of ways in which we walk blithely into Armageddon is very high. But that's something all of us can help address. If we act now, we might avoid some of the worst, civilization-threatening outcomes. Agitate for change! It's not too late."
Robert Rosner, who used to chair the Bulletin's brainiac board, chimed in with some history lessons, saying: "Past experience has taught us, even during the most dismal periods of the Cold War, we can as a people come together to address our challenges. It is now high time to do so again."
The clock's hands are creeping closer to that witching hour of doom, with the big twelve o'clock meaning we've properly mucked it up for good. Right now, they're at the dodgiest spot ever marked.
Top boss Rachel Bronson from the Bulletin gave the lowdown: "When the clock is at midnight, that means there's been some sort of nuclear exchange or catastrophic climate change that's wiped out humanity. We never really want to get there and we won't know it when we do."
In cheerier times, back in '91, the Doomsday Clock was chilling at its chilliest from the dreaded twelve, right after the Yanks and Russkies signed a deal to cut down on their warheads, wrapping up the Cold War.
The official website explains: "The Doomsday Clock is a design that warns the public about how close we are to destroying our world with dangerous technologies of our own making. It is a metaphor, a reminder of the perils we must address if we are to survive on the planet."
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