Science & Technology

The Doomsday Clock has moved 4 seconds closer to midnight

By T.K. Randall
January 27, 2026

Image: AI-generated (Midjourney) Maintained by the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists since 1947, the Doomsday Clock is a visual representation of how close the world is to disaster based on political, environmental and technological threats such as nuclear annihilation and climate change.

Last year the clock's hands were moved to 89 seconds to midnight - the closest they'd ever been - and now today they have moved even closer still, showing a time of just 85 seconds to midnight.

Among the reasons for this latest change are the ever-increasing risk of global war, the threat posed by artificial intelligence, runaway climate change and unfavorable changes in global policies.

Countries such as China, Russia and the United States took the brunt of the blame.

"Of course, the Doomsday Clock is about global risks, and what we have seen is a global failure in leadership," Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists CEO Alexandra Bell told Reuters."No matter the government, a shift towards neo-imperialism and an Orwellian approach to governance will only serve to push the clock toward midnight."

"In terms of nuclear risks, nothing in 2025 trended in the right direction."

"Longstanding diplomatic frameworks are under duress or collapsing, the threat of explosive nuclear testing has returned, proliferation concerns are growing, and there were three military operations taking place under the shadow of nuclear weapons and the associated escalatory threat."

"The risk of nuclear use is unsustainably and unacceptably high (and) Russia, China, the United States and other major countries have become increasingly aggressive and nationalistic."

An official video about the changing of the clock can be viewed below.


Source: Independent

Tags: Doomsday Clock