Doomsday Clock Set to 85 Seconds to Midnight, Closest in Its History

Overview

• The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists advanced the clock by four seconds to 85 seconds to midnight, unveiling the update Tuesday in Washington, DC.
• Scientists cited heightened nuclear tensions, worsening climate signals, risks from artificial intelligence and biotechnology, and declining international cooperation.
• The group warned that the last remaining U.S.–Russia nuclear arms treaty is set to expire in early February, raising the risk of an unconstrained arms race.
• The Doomsday Clock is a symbolic measure created in 1947 and set annually by the Bulletin’s Science and Security Board in consultation with a board of sponsors that includes Nobel laureates.
• The Bulletin urged concrete steps including renewed U.S.–Russia nuclear dialogue, safeguards to prevent AI-enabled biological threats, multilateral limits on military AI, and stronger climate and energy policy.