Atomic scientists have re-set the Doomsday clock closest to midnight (signalling the end of the world) than ever before at 90 seconds
The ‘Judgement Day’ represented by the Doomsday Clock might be closer than anticipated in the backdrop of the Russia-Ukraine war, COVID 19 and the climate crisis. The Pakistan floods have further added to the crisis
Footage: Reuters
The Doomsday Clock created by members of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists represents the likelihood of a man-made catastrophe such as a nuclear war. In short, it reflects how close is the mankind to its end
The Bulletin was founded by Albert Einstein, J Robert Oppenheimer (Father of atomic bomb) and others. Ironically, the same set of scientists was also involved in the creation of the nuclear bomb
Doomsday clock was set at 100 seconds to midnight on Jan 20, 2020 marking the annual change in the hands of the clocks depending on international situations like war. At that time, COVID-19 pandemic had caused this change. Since then, the clock’s position has remained the same
Footage: Reuters
Two years after the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1947, an artist and member of ‘The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists’ named Martyl Langsdorf created the iconic Doomsday Clock to signal how close humanity was to self-destruction
The Doomsday clock was set the farthest in 1991 at 17 minutes from midnight when the Cold War ended and the US and Soviet Union signed a treaty to contain the use of nuclear weapons
As per the scientists, if the Doomsday Clock ever touched midnight, it would mean that there's been some sort of nuclear exchange or catastrophic climate change that has wiped out humanity
The Doomsday Clock is more of a symbolic measure to warn humans to mend their ways and opt for peaceful and environmental-friendly activities