Efforts by the International Atomic Energy Agency to secure these plants so far have been rebuffed.' Russia has also brought its war to the Chernobyl and Zaporizhzhia nuclear reactor sites, violating international protocols and risking widespread release of radioactive materials. The possibility that the conflict could spin out of anyone's control remains high. And worst of all, Russia's thinly veiled threats to use nuclear weapons remind the world that escalation of the conflict-by accident, intention, or miscalculation-is a terrible risk. The Doomsday Clock statement about the change said in part, 'Russia's war on Ukraine has raised profound questions about how states interact, eroding norms of international conduct that underpin successful responses to a variety of global risks.

The Doomsday Clock was created in 1947 by Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists' Science and Security Board with the support of the Bulletin's Board of Sponsors are responsible for setting the Doomsday Clock. The US 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.' '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. 'We are living in a time of unprecedented danger, and the Doomsday Clock time reflects that reality,' Rachel Bronson, PhD, president and CEO, Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, said. The Doomsday Clock was previously set at 100 seconds to midnight in 2020. Its hands now sit at 90 seconds to midnightcloser than they’ve ever been. The stewards of the clock meet annually to discuss re-setting the clock based on current world events. Not very far, according to the Doomsday Clock, which has been metaphorically ticking since 1947. When the Doomsday Clock was set at 100 seconds to midnight in 2020, it was then a record and the Bulletin’s scientists said at the time it was driven by the risk of civil collapse in the event. The clock is a metaphor for how close humanity is to self annihilation. The climate crisis and the breakdown of global norms and institutions needed to deal with biological risks such as COVID-19 were also cited. The clock has now been set to 90 seconds to midnight, with the war in Ukraine, increased nuclear escalation influencing the decision. The Doomsday Clock is ticking and it's never been closer to catastrophe.ĬHICAGO - The Doomsday Clock has been set to its closest time to midnight in its history, the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists announced Tuesday. The 2023 Doomsday Clock is displayed before a live-streamed event with members of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists on Jan.

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