The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientistsmoved the world’s Doomsday Clock 10 seconds closer to midnight on Tuesday, citing climate change, biological threats and the war in Ukraine.
The clock sits at 90 seconds until midnight, marking the closest the clock has even been to striking midnight. The group of scientists updates the clock periodically given global events.
The last time the clock moved was in 2020 when it was set at 100 seconds to midnight.
“We are living in a time of unprecedented danger, and the Doomsday Clock time reflects that reality,” Rachel Bronson, president and CEO of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, said. “Ninety seconds to midnight is the closest the Clock has ever been set to midnight, and it’s a decision our experts do not take lightly. The U.S. government, its NATO allies and Ukraine have a multitude of channels for dialogue; we urge leaders to explore all of them to their fullest ability to turn back the Clock.”
The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists said Russia’s use of “thinly veiled threats to use nuclear weapons” has added to the globe’s risk.
“The possibility that the conflict could spin out of anyone’s control remains high,” the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists said in a statement.
The group added that there is no “clear pathway for forging a just peace that discourages future aggression under the shadow of nuclear weapons.”
The war, the group said, also has led to weakened cooperation on climate change efforts.