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The scientific world is holding its breath. The Doomsday Clock is set to be updated today, and according to experts, it's almost inevitable that the hands will move even closer to midnight. The clock is already at the most dangerous point in human history: just 89 seconds to midnight.
The symbolic clock, set by the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists (BAS), indicates how close humanity is to a global catastrophe of its own making. The new time will be announced live on January 27th at 3:00 PM GMT.
WHAT IS THE DOOMSDAY CLOCK?
The Doomsday Clock was first created in 1947, immediately after World War II, to draw attention to the threat posed by nuclear weapons. The goal, in the words of then-editor Eugene Rabinowitch, was to "frighten men into rationality."
Midnight on the clock symbolizes the annihilation of humanity. As the hands approach midnight, global risks are considered to be increasing. The Chicago-based BAS is responsible for setting the clock.
HANDS EXPECTED TO ADVANCE
All nuclear risk, artificial intelligence, and climate experts interviewed by the Daily Mail do not expect the clock to be set back this year. On the contrary, most experts believe the hands will be advanced by at least a few more seconds.
Some predictions are as follows:
1 second forward (cautious estimate),
5–10 seconds forward (high-risk scenario),
9 seconds forward (most pessimistic assessment).
NUCLEAR THREAT BACK IN FOCUS
Alicia Sanders-Zakre of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons emphasizes that there are still over 12,000 nuclear weapons in the world, and this situation poses an "existential threat."
While spending on nuclear weapons is set to exceed $100 billion in 2025, tensions between the US, Russia, and China, fragility along the India-Pakistan line, and Russia's more open discussion of nuclear-capable weapons have further increased the risk.
According to experts, one of the most critical thresholds is the imminent expiration of the New START Treaty on the Limitation of Nuclear Weapons. The absence of a concrete framework to replace it means that for the first time since the Cold War, there will be no binding arms control mechanism between the US and Russia.
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE ON PAR WITH NUCLEAR WEAPONS FOR THE FIRST TIME
Dr. SJ Beard, an expert on existential risk from Cambridge University, stated that this year could be a turning point, saying, "This could be the first year that artificial intelligence is treated on par with nuclear weapons."
According to experts, the integration of artificial intelligence into military decision-making processes, the acceleration of conflicts beyond human control, and the increasing accessibility of biological weapon production for non-state actors are creating new and unpredictable risks.
According to Beard, the goal of "artificial general intelligence" is now an existential risk in itself.
CLIMATE CRISIS INCREASES PRESSURE
Professor Andrew Shepherd, a climate scientist from Northumbria University, reminds us that the past year has been full of extreme weather events.
In particular, the renewed acceleration of ice loss in Greenland and the rapid decrease in sea ice in the Southern Ocean are raising sea levels and reducing the planet's reflectivity (albedo), further accelerating global warming.
THE CLOCK IS AN ALARM, NOT A PROPHECY
Scientists emphasize that the Doomsday Clock is not a prophecy. The clock is a scientific warning directed at humanity.
However, the picture is clear:
As nuclear weapons, artificial intelligence, and the climate crisis deepen simultaneously, humanity, according to experts, is treading a finer line than ever before in history.
Even a change of a few seconds announced today could summarize the message from the scientific community.
