Are we approaching the end? On Tuesday, scientists are set to revise the Doomsday Clock, sparking discussions that it may move closer to midnight due to fears surrounding nuclear conflict, AI advancements, and various other global threats.
The updated time will be revealed during a live press conference at 10 a.m. ET, featuring Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Ressa and experts in fields ranging from nuclear weapons to climate change.
Since its inception in 1947—when paranoia about nuclear conflict was rampant—the Doomsday Clock symbolizes how close humanity might be to self-annihilation. It was established by the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists, a group formed two years earlier by notable figures like Albert Einstein and J. Robert Oppenheimer, who played significant roles in the development of nuclear arms during the Manhattan Project.
Each year, the clock is adjusted based on the threat level of human-made disasters, with midnight representing total catastrophe. The closer we get to that midnight hour, the closer we are to disaster.
The hope is that this ominous ticking will spur global efforts to address the pressing human threats we face and, ideally, turn the clock back from impending doom.
Unfortunately, humanity seems to be in a precarious position. Originally set at seven minutes to midnight, the clock now stands at a mere 89 seconds before midnight, marking the closest we’ve ever been to catastrophe.
“I think it might move forward at least one second,” remarked Alicia Saunders Zakre, the policy director for the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons.
Experts generally suggest the outlook for 2026 is grim. Zakre pointed out that with around 12,000 nuclear weapons existing globally and increasing tensions among nuclear states, dire scenarios could become even more prevalent. Recent skirmishes between India and Pakistan have intensified worries about a potential large-scale conflict.
“The risk of nuclear utilization has been a pressing existential threat for eight decades, but this past year has seen an uptick in concern due to a greater investment in nuclear capabilities and more alarming rhetoric and actions,” she emphasized.
On a similar note, Dr. SJ Beard from the Center for the Study of Existential Risk at Cambridge suggested the hands of the clock should move forward a shocking nine seconds, attributing it to worries about nuclear confrontations between leading world powers.
Beard noted that while the relationship between Trump and Putin might be keeping immediate threats at bay, it could become a significant issue down the line as their camaraderie is unlikely to last forever.
Another point of concern is the New START Treaty, which limits nuclear arsenals and is set to expire on February 5.
Hamza Chaudhry, who leads AI and national security efforts at the Future of Life Institute, believes the clock should advance by about five to ten seconds. He pointed out that for the first time since the early Cold War, no bilateral arms control treaty is in place to regulate the strategic weapons of the United States and Russia—an alarming indication of failing nuclear controls.
And it’s not just nuclear war that worries people. Beard also noted the growing presence of AI technology as a significant risk equivalent to that of nuclear arms.
In their new book, “Somebody Builds It, Everybody Dies: Why Superhuman AI Will Kill Us All,” researchers Eliezer Yudkowsky and Nate Soares caution that humanity could face extinction through synthetic viruses and other unforeseen technologies if safeguards aren’t established.
They contend, “If any company or group anywhere on the planet were to develop an artificial superintelligence based on our current understanding of AI using today’s technology, it would likely lead to catastrophic outcomes for everyone.”
