DOOMSDAY CLOCK
BULLETIN OF THE ATOMIC SCIENTISTS, (US), 1947-ONGOING
The Doomsday Clock is not a physical clock; it’s a symbol, designed to warn us about how close we are to the end of the world. The closer we are to midnight, the closer we are to doomsday. It was conceived by the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists in 1947 when the biggest threat to the human world was nuclear war. However, since then, the world has progressed and climate change has been included in the decision-making for the hand-setting of the clock since 2007.
It has been reset 22 times altogether, and is now set at two and a half minutes to midnight — a change made in 2017. When deciding what time to set, the Science and Security Board of the Bulletin takes into consideration the number and kinds of nuclear weapons in the world; the parts per million of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere; the rate of sea level rise; and the degree of acidity in our oceans. They also look at attempts taken by leaders and citizens alike to combat these dangers, and how these are followed through.