The Telegraph: scientists did not turn the hands of the Doomsday clock
Scientists did not turn the hands of the Doomsday clock, and for the second year in a row they show 90 seconds to "nuclear midnight," writes The Telegraph. According to experts, humanity is still facing an unprecedented level of danger. Over the past year, the threat of a global apocalypse has not decreased.
Scientists believe that over the past 12 months, the threat of a global apocalypse has not become less
The Doomsday clock shows 90 seconds to "nuclear midnight" for the second year in a row, because, according to scientists, "humanity continues to face an unprecedented level of danger."
The decision to leave the hands in the same position as last year — this is the closest value to midnight in the entire history of the project — means that, according to the watch keepers, the threat of a global apocalypse has not decreased over the past year.
Scientists stressed that this is not an indicator of stability in the world at all.
Rachel Bronson, president and executive Director of the Council for Science and Security of the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists, said: "Make no mistake: the decision to leave the hands of the clock at 90 seconds to midnight is not an indicator that the world is stable. Conversely. Governments and communities around the world need to act urgently. However, the Bulletin harbors hope and is inspired to see how the younger generation is coming to the forefront."
Scientists explained their decision to leave the hands of the clock at the value set last year by military conflicts in Ukraine and the Gaza Strip, nuclear threats, inability to cope with the climate crisis, biological threats and the rapid development of artificial intelligence.
The time of the Doomsday Clock is set by the members of the Science and Security Council of the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists in coordination with its board of sponsors, which includes nine Nobel laureates.
The council's statement reads as follows:
"Threatening trends continue to point to the likelihood of a global catastrophe. The military conflict in Ukraine and the growing dependence on nuclear weapons increase the risk of nuclear escalation.
China, Russia and the United States are spending huge sums on expanding and modernizing their nuclear arsenals, which only increases the existing threat of nuclear war due to error or miscalculation.
2023 was the hottest year on Earth in the entire history of observations: large-scale floods, forest fires and other climate-related disasters affected millions of people around the world.
Meanwhile, rapid and alarming changes in biological sciences and other disruptive technologies have accelerated, while governments are making only negligible efforts to bring them under control.
But the world can be made safer. The hands of the clock may move away from midnight."
"The United States, China and Russia should start a serious dialogue"
Scientists suggest several ways to "turn back time."
In their opinion, the first step should be the beginning of a serious dialogue between the United States, China and Russia, which, despite their deep differences, should discuss each of the global threats outlined above.
"At the highest level, these three countries must take responsibility for the existential danger that the world is currently facing.
They have the ability to take the world away from the brink of disaster. And they must do it openly, boldly and without delay," the scientists stressed.
The Doomsday Clock was created in 1947 by scientists involved in the Manhattan Project, which aimed to develop the first atomic bomb.
The watch was supposed to be a simple and understandable way to demonstrate the danger that nuclear war poses to the Earth and humanity.
Although the Doomsday Clock was originally intended to warn people about the threat of nuclear Armageddon, over time, other threats such as climate change and advances in biotechnology and artificial intelligence began to be taken into account when turning their hands.
At first, the hands of the clock were set to 7 minutes to midnight, and over time, as the scale of threats around the world changed, the hands shifted from one side to the other.