Doomsday Clock Moved to 85 Seconds to Midnight

The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists announced on Tuesday an update to the symbolic “Doomsday Clock,” moving it to 85 seconds before midnight, the closest it has ever been to representing a global catastrophe since its creation nearly eight decades ago.

The annual adjustment, revealed on January 27, 2026, reflects growing concern among scientists and security experts about the escalating risks facing humanity. 

Midnight on the clock symbolizes a theoretical point of global destruction, and each move closer signals an increase in existential threats driven largely by human actions.

First introduced in 1947, the Doomsday Clock is not a timekeeping device but a visual metaphor designed to communicate the level of danger posed by global developments.

While nuclear weapons were the original focus, the clock now incorporates a wider range of threats, including climate change, biological risks, emerging technologies, and the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence.

According to the Bulletin, the latest shift underscores a deteriorating international security environment. 

Although the clock is not based on mathematical predictions, it serves as a warning tool aimed at policymakers and the public, highlighting the urgency of reducing global risks.

Historically, the clock has been adjusted multiple times in response to major geopolitical events. 

It was initially set at seven minutes to midnight in 1947, fluctuating during periods of heightened and reduced tension, particularly throughout the Cold War.

In more recent years, the clock has moved steadily closer to midnight. It was set at two and a half minutes in 2017, shifted to 90 seconds in 2023, then to 89 seconds last year.

The latest adjustment to 85 seconds marks an unprecedented level of alarm.

Scientists behind the project say the change reflects the cumulative impact of unresolved nuclear tensions, accelerating climate threats, and the risks posed by powerful technologies, warning that global leaders must act decisively to steer the world away from catastrophe.