100 seconds left before doomsday

Every year in January, the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists announces the time that is left before the Doomsday Clock strikes midnight (i.e. the doomsday). In 2022, our world has 100 seconds left before doomsday.

The Doomsday Clock was created by a group of scientists that were involved in the Manhattan Project, during which the first atomic weapon was made. And ever since 1947, the Doomsday Clock has been set every year by the Bulletin involving globally recognized leaders from the Science and Security Board (SASB), and the Bulletin’s Board of Sponsors including 11 Nobel laureates.

The Clock, which is a universally recognized indicator of the world’s vulnerability to various catastrophes, has never been so close to striking midnight. This means that we live in an era that is closest to facing a civilization-ending apocalypse, with the world being stuck in an extremely dangerous moment. Some of the identified reasons for this conclusion are as follows;

– Tension in the US relations with Russia and China, with all three countries engaged in nuclear modernisation and expansion efforts.
(Including China’s apparent large-scale program to increase long-range nuclear missiles, all three countries’ involvement in developing hypersonic missiles and continued testing of anti-satellite weapons.)
– Huge gap between the long-term greenhouse gas-reduction pledges and the near-/medium-term emission reduction actions that are needed to achieve the set goals.
– Insufficient response on COVID-19 pandemic worldwide, leaving the poorer countries largely unvaccinated.
– Worrying biosafety and biosecurity lapses and pursuits of biological weapons marking the beginning of a new biological arms race.

More details on the above reasons along with practical steps toward a safer world can be found in the full article available here.