Humanity is closer to species-threatening disaster than ever before, according to the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, who today moved the hand of the "Doomsday Clock" to 89 seconds to midnight.
That's the closest the clock has ever been to catastrophe. The Bulletin, a nonprofit co-founded by Albert Einstein in 1945, has long warned of trends pushing humans toward civilization collapse or extinction. Last year, the organization set its famous Doomsday Clock at 90 seconds to midnight. This year, it ticked one second closer due to ongoing threats from nuclear weapons, climate change, bioweapons and infectious disease, and disruptive technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI).
"Trends that have deeply concerned the Science and Security Board continued, and despite unmistakable signs of danger, national leaders and their societies have failed to do what is needed to change course," the nonprofit wrote in its annual announcement.
While there were no new risks of nuclear annihilation in 2024, the Board found that the longstanding buildup of nuclear capacity around the world means that ongoing conflicts could quickly become nuclear due to a miscalculation or rash decision. The U.S. is a full participant in the nuclear arms race, the nonprofit wrote, recently embarking on an expensive modernization of its nuclear arsenal.
Greenhouse gas emissions continue to increase globally, with investments to adapt to and mitigate climate change still too low, according to the board, which cited a 2024 Climate Policy Initiative report that found that investments need to increase fivefold to prevent the worst economic losses.
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The Science and Security Board also cited the circulation of the H5N1 bird flu and the increased skepticism of public health recommendations post-COVID-19. The board also highlighted the increase in high-containment biological laboratories worldwide and the need to balance researching infectious agents with preventing their accidental release.
Notably, AI is becoming a bigger concern, the board wrote, particularly because AI makes it easier to spread misinformation and disinformation. "This corruption of the information ecosystem undermines the public discourse and honest debate upon which democracy depends," they wrote.
The group's statement ends with a stark warning: "Blindly continuing on the current path is a form of madness. The United States, China, and Russia have the collective power to destroy civilization. These three countries have the prime responsibility to pull the world back from the brink, and they can do so if their leaders seriously commence good-faith discussions about the global threats outlined here. Despite their profound disagreements, they should take that first step without delay."
