Tick-tock! Doomsday Clock moves closer to midnight. Here's what we know (2025)

As many stress over things like immigration and digital privacy, the question becomes "How bad are things and how bad could they become?"

The Doomsday Clock has moved one second closer to midnight, the metaphorical point at which humanity is experiencing a global catastrophe. Here's a closer look at what this means, how this "tradition" started, and what we can do to improve the outlook:

What is the Doomsday Clock?

The Doomsday Clock is a physical clock, but it does not tell time. It's meant to symbolize how close humanity is to destroying itself. The clock is managed by the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, a non-profit organization dedicated to equipping the public, policymakers, and scientists with the information needed to reduce man-made threats to our existence.

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How did the Doomsday Clock start?

In 1945, scientists like J. Robert Oppenheimer and Albert Einstein began publishing the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists as a newsletter. In 1947, they met to discuss the threat nuclear war poses to humanity.

Martyl Langsdorf, an artist and wife of Manhattan Project physicistAlexander Langsdorf Jr., came up with the idea of a clock showing just how close things were. Rachel Bronson,president and CEO of thebulletin, said it gave the sense that, if we did nothing, it would tick on towardthe apocalypse.

What is the Doomsday Clock for 2025?

The clock was set to 89 seconds to midnight, the closest it has ever been. Spokesman Adam Dombovari said via news release that this signals the world is on a course of unprecedented risk and continuing on the current path is a form of madness.

"The United States, China, and Russia have the prime responsibility to pull the world back from the brink," Dombovari wrote. "The world depends on immediate action."

What causes the Doomsday Clock to move?

Originally, the clock measured just the danger of nuclear disaster. Over the years, three more areas of concern have been added: Climate change, artificial Intelligence, and misinformation as well as disinformation.

The clock is set for the coming year by the bulletin's science and security board each year. They consider two questions:

• Is humanity safer or at greater risk this year than last year?
• Is humanity safer or at greater risk compared with the 78years the clock has been set?

Why did the Doomsday Clock change in 2025?

Thescience and security board which sets the clockis a select group of globally recognized leaders. Manpreet Sethi is a distinguished fellow at the Centre for Air Power Studies in New Delhi. Here's what she said about the nuclear outlook:

"The risk of nuclear use continues to grow due to capabilities building up and treaties breaking down. Russia has suspended compliance with the New START treaty and withdrawn ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. China is rapidly increasing its nuclear arsenal...The U.S. has abdicated its role as a voice of caution. It seems inclined to expand its nuclear arsenal and adopt a posture that reinforces the belief that 'limited' use of nuclear weapons can be managed. Such misplaced confidence could have us stumble into a nuclear war."

Herb Lin is a senior research scholar for cyber policy and security at the Center for International Security and Cooperation. Here's what he said about disruptive technologies:

"Proposals to integrate artificial intelligence into weapons of war raise questions about the extent to which machines will be allowed to make or support military decisions—even when such decisions could kill on a vast scale. Even if a human always make the final decision on the use of nuclear weapons, how and when, if at all, should AI be used to support such decision making? How should we think about lethal autonomous weapons, which identify and destroy targets without human intervention? Meanwhile, ever-increasing dysfunction in the world’s information ecosystem disrupts society’s capacity to address difficult challenges, and AI has great potential to accelerate the chaos and disorder."

Robert Socolow is professor emeritus in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Princeton University. Here's what he said about climate change:

"2024 was the hottest year on record. Extreme weather and other climate events—floods, tropical cyclones, extreme heat, drought, and wildfires— devastated societies, rich and poor, as well as ecosystems around the world. Yet the global greenhouse gas emissions that drive climate change continued to rise....Investments to adapt to climate change and cut fossil fuel emissions were way below what is needed to avoid the worst impacts. There were formidable policy headwinds globally: Particularly worrisome, electoral campaigns showed climate change to be a low priority in the United States and many other countries."

Suzet McKinney is principal and director of Life Sciences for Sterling Bay. Here's what she said about daunting biological threats:

"Infectious diseases are a constant threat to mankind, but unfortunately the collective experience with COVID-19 has increased skepticism about the recommendations of public health officials, especially the use of medical countermeasures to mitigate disease spread. Concern is also growing over the proliferation of pathogen laboratories around the world, as well as nefariously using AI in biological research and development. Collectively, leaders must establish knowledgeable authorities to provide trustworthy information, increase reporting of changing disease patterns as the climate changes, decrease the number of high-containment laboratories, and curtail active biological weapons programs."

What was the Doomsday Clock set at for 2024?

The Doomsday Clock was previously set at 90 seconds to midnight in 2023 and stayed that way in 2024. It's been ticking down since 1991 at various degrees.

In 2018, it was at 2 minutes to midnight but jumped to 100 seconds in 2020.

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Can the Doomsday Clock be turned back?

Just as the clock is turned forward to represent dangerous policies, it has also been turned back in light of positive changes in the world.

Between 1988 and 1991, the clock was moved back by 11 minutes with the fall of the Soviet Union, the end of the Cold War, and the signing of the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty.

Miguel Legoas is a Deep South Connect Team Reporter for Gannett/USA Today. Find him on X and Instagram @miguelegoas and email at mlegoas@gannett.com.