"Doomsday clock" presented Humanity has only 89 seconds until the end of the world
Former Colombian President and Nobel Peace Prize winner Juan Manuel Santos has warned of various existential threats.
Image: dpa
Researchers warn of a global catastrophe in view of the uncertain and unstable situation in the world.
Image: dpa
An intercontinental ballistic missile is launched as part of a ground-based test in Russia. Scientists consider the risk of nuclear war to be higher than ever before.
Image: Uncredited/Russian Defense Ministry Press Service/AP/dpa
Climate change also poses an existential threat to humanity.
Image: Mstyslav Chernov/AP/dpa
Former Colombian President and Nobel Peace Prize winner Juan Manuel Santos has warned of various existential threats.
Image: dpa
Researchers warn of a global catastrophe in view of the uncertain and unstable situation in the world.
Image: dpa
An intercontinental ballistic missile is launched as part of a ground-based test in Russia. Scientists consider the risk of nuclear war to be higher than ever before.
Image: Uncredited/Russian Defense Ministry Press Service/AP/dpa
Climate change also poses an existential threat to humanity.
Image: Mstyslav Chernov/AP/dpa
Scientists have been using the "Doomsday Clock" for years to assess how close humanity is to the abyss. The current situation on Earth is worse than ever. Donald Trump's return also contributes to this.
29.01.2025, 17:57
29.01.2025, 18:16
dpa
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- Scientists at the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists have set the symbolic time to the end of the Earth at 89 seconds for the first time.
- "The world is on a course of unprecedented risk, and continuing on the current course is a form of insanity," they said in a statement.
- According to the researchers, the risk of humanity wiping itself out through nuclear war or self-inflicted global warming is now greater than at any time since the invention of the clock in 1947.
89 seconds to the end of the world: in view of the unstable world situation, scientists are warning of a global catastrophe. Researchers from the "Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists" set the symbolic time until the end of the world at 89 seconds for the first time, as they announced in Washington.
In 2023, the researchers set the hands of the "Doomsday Clock" to 90 seconds before midnight for the first time and left it at that in 2024. Now they have gone one step further and warned: "The world is on a course of unprecedented risk, and continuing on the current course is a form of madness."
Former Colombian President and Nobel Peace Prize winner Juan Manuel Santos said: "With 89 seconds to midnight, the Doomsday Clock is closer to catastrophe than ever before in its history." Humanity is confronted with existential threats.
Climate change, nuclear weapons, health crises and misinformation
"The threat of nuclear conflict is greater than ever before," warned Santos. The only remaining major arms control agreement between the USA and Russia is due to expire next year.
The climate crisis is also coming to a head. "2024 was the hottest year since records began, triggering devastating climate shocks." It is therefore particularly alarming that US President Donald Trump has announced the United States' withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement.
"The US announcement to withdraw from the World Health Organization is another worrying decision that will have a huge impact on global health security," he lamented. The increase in outbreaks of infectious diseases is worrying. Urgent action is also needed to curb the spread of misinformation and conspiracy theories.
The symbolic position of the "Doomsday Clock" is communicated once a year. In 2020, the clock was symbolically set to 100 seconds before midnight for the first time. According to the researchers, the risk of humanity wiping itself out through nuclear war or self-inflicted global warming is now greater than at any time since the clock was invented in 1947.