Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists sets Doomsday Clock at 85 seconds to midnight
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · May 9
Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists sets Doomsday Clock at 85 seconds to midnight
16 articles · Updated · The Guardian · May 9
The January move, the closest ever, reflected rising risks from the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, climate change, artificial intelligence and biological threats.
Chief executive Alexandra Bell said weak political leadership was failing to address interconnected dangers, including AI in nuclear decision-making and declining pandemic preparedness.
Created in 1947 to warn about nuclear war, the clock now tracks multiple human-made existential threats and is intended to spur public pressure for international action.
With AI making military decisions, are humans still truly in control of the path to global war?
Could the next global catastrophe emerge not from a battlefield, but from a laboratory accident?
As major powers abandon arms control, is a new global nuclear arms race now inevitable?
85 Seconds to Midnight: The 2026 Doomsday Clock and the Escalating Threats to Humanity
Overview
On January 27, 2026, the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists set the Doomsday Clock to 85 seconds to midnight, the closest ever to symbolic catastrophe. This decision reflects a combination of escalating and interconnected global threats. Nuclear risks are a major concern, with experts warning that the erosion of arms control could lead to a runaway nuclear arms race. At the same time, climate change is accelerating, and the dangers from artificial intelligence are growing. Together, these threats highlight a profound risk to humanity and the urgent need for renewed international cooperation and stability.