The Doomsday Clock remains at 90 seconds to midnight, signifying imminent global catastrophe.

The Doomsday Clock, which symbolically represents how close the world is to nuclear catastrophe, will remain at 90 seconds to midnight, according to scientists. They cited several reasons for keeping it at this perilous point but decided against moving it further forward. Factors contributing to this decision include the threat of a new nuclear arms race, the Ukraine war, and concerns about climate change. The clock is set annually by the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, who have been assessing the impact of various man-made risks since 2007, including AI and climate change. In their 2024 announcement, the Bulletin highlighted that China, Russia, and the US are investing heavily in expanding and modernizing their nuclear arsenals, which increases the risk of nuclear war through mistake or miscalculation. The conflict in Ukraine also presents a constant danger of nuclear escalation. The Bulletin also highlighted the lack of action on climate change, as well as the risks associated with the misuse of emerging biological technologies and AI. The Doomsday Clock was created in 1947 by J Robert Oppenheimer and other US scientists who witnessed the devastating effects of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki during World War Two. Its hands have moved 25 times since its creation, with the closest position to midnight being at present. Bulletin President Rachel Bronson warned that leaders around the world are irresponsibly investing in their nuclear arsenals, and this is a highly dangerous time. The article also discusses the proliferation of nuclear weapons globally and the breakdown of constraints. It mentions that the UK recently increased the cap on its warheads, and there have been suggestions from Russian figures that Moscow's nuclear weapons could be used against the UK. The UK's nuclear deterrent is housed at the Faslane base in Scotland. The article also mentions the opposition to nuclear weapons over the years and ongoing protests against US weapons possibly returning to RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk. The threat of nuclear war has been heightened by North Korea, which has tested nuclear-capable missiles that could reach the US. Former Bulletin member Sig Hecker estimates that North Korea may have 50 to 60 nuclear warheads.