Doomsday Clock: Another Minute Closer to Midnight

The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists announced on January 10 that they have moved the hands of the hypothetical clock another minute closer to midnight, back to its time in 2007.

They cited the lack of initiatives regarding climate change and rising international tensions as one of the key reasons for the adjustment.

The Doomsday Clock was created in 1947 by  the board of directors of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists at the University of Chicago using the imagery of apocalypse -- a countdown to midnight -- to convey the level of threats to humanity and the planet. The original time was set at 11:53pm, seven minutes to midnight.

The Bulletin is a periodical founded in 1945 by University of Chicago scientists who had helped develop the first atomic weapons in the Manhattan Project. The clock was initially focused on nuclear war but has since broadened to reflect other risks that could have a serious impact on human life.

Source:LiveScience

 

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Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists