The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists has set its Doomsday Clock to 85 seconds before midnight, the closest it has ever been, citing escalating global threats from nuclear powers, conflicts, artificial intelligence and climate change. This marks a four-second shift closer to annihilation compared with last year.
The Chicago-based organization warned that aggressive and nationalistic behavior by the United States, Russia, and China is eroding nuclear arms control and international cooperation. Conflicts: Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine, United States military actions in Iran and Latin America, rising tensions on the Korean Peninsula, and threats to Taiwan were all cited as factors driving the risk higher.
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Experts also highlighted AI-related dangers, including its potential integration into military systems, creation of biological threats, and use in spreading disinformation globally. In addition to this, they also mentioned climate change and the erosion of diplomatic frameworks.
The clock, first created in 1947 during the Cold War, is intended to signal how close humanity is to self-inflicted global disaster. This is the third time in four years that the Bulletin has moved the clock closer to midnight... But if you want to learn about previous years, then you should check out everything you need to know about the Doomsday Clock.