The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists has moved the symbolic Doomsday Clock even closer to midnight, warning that humanity is now just 85 seconds away from potential catastrophe—the closest it has ever been to what the group calls possible extinction.
The clock was advanced by four seconds during a briefing in Washington, DC, reflecting growing global risks including nuclear conflict, climate change, emerging technologies, and geopolitical instability.
Reaching midnight on the Doomsday Clock symbolizes humanity’s failure to prevent a global disaster, such as nuclear war or irreversible environmental collapse.
Alexandra Bell, president and CEO of the Bulletin, said world leaders are not doing enough to address these existential threats.
“Every second counts and we are running out of time. It’s a hard truth, but this is our reality,” Bell said.
Board member John Wolfsthal described this year’s decision as unusually clear-cut, noting that 2025 has been a bleak year for global risk reduction.
The Doomsday Clock has been inching closer to midnight in recent years: it was set at 90 seconds in 2023 and 89 seconds in 2025. By contrast, it was 17 minutes from midnight in 1991, after nuclear disarmament agreements between the U.S. and Soviet Union.
One major factor in the recent adjustment is the increased risk of global conflict escalating into a third world war. Despite repeated warnings, some states continue to expand their nuclear arsenals and military reach. The Bulletin highlighted tensions including:
- Iran warning that any U.S. attack would trigger “all-out war”
- Ongoing protests and crackdowns in Iran
- Israel’s war in Gaza
- Russia’s prolonged invasion of Ukraine
The Bulletin stressed that even a single miscalculation could trigger nuclear confrontations.
Emerging technologies, particularly unregulated artificial intelligence, were also flagged as risks. Steve Fetter of the Bulletin’s Science and Security Board warned that AI-generated content could spread false information about wars or crises, potentially destabilizing societies.
Climate change remains a critical threat, with continued fossil fuel dependence fueling extreme weather events such as wildfires in California, deadly heatwaves across Europe, and a powerful hurricane in Jamaica last year.
Biological threats, including COVID-19, bird flu, and global pandemic responses, were cited as additional factors pushing the clock closer to midnight.
First introduced in 1947, the Doomsday Clock serves as a warning to the public and policymakers about the consequences of failing to address the world’s most pressing threats.
