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Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists

Doomsday Clock set to 100 seconds to midnight for third year in a row

It reflects the scientists’ view that the world is no safer than it was this time last year.

THE DOOMSDAY CLOCK has been set to 100 seconds to midnight for the third year in a row.

The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, which is responsible for the clock, has kept its hands at 100 seconds to midnight, where it been since 2020.

It reflects the scientists’ view that the world is no safer than it was this time last year.

The countdown is a metaphor for global apocalypse and considers the propability of emerging threats like climate change and advances in artificial intelligence and biotechnology. 

Announcing the new position, CEO Dr Rachel Bronson said experts look at two questions in judging the position for the clock: “Is humanity safer or at greater risk this year than compared last year? Is humanity safer or at greater risk this yearcompared to the 75 years we’ve been asking the question?”

Dr Bronson said the countdown “represents the judgement of leading science and security experts of the threat to human existence, with a focus on manmade threats, nuclear risks, climate change, and new disruptive technologies.” 

“We believe that because humans created these threats, we can reduce them, but doing so is not easy and has never been so.”

The Doomsday Clock continues to hover dangerously, reminding us how much work is needed to ensure a safer and healthier planet. We must continue to push the hands on the clock away from midnight

Professor of Physics at the University of Oxford Raymond Pierrehumbert pointed to a “staggering onslought of climate disasters” in the last year.

He said a key question is whether countries will deliver on the climate commitments they have promised.

“The situation is dire but all is not lost. There is still time to get this boat unstuck and moving towards net zero,” he said.

“But the longer we delay the worse things are going to get.”

Last year, the Doomsday Clock was set at 100 seconds, the closest to midnight it had ever been, for a second year running in light of risks like the Covid-19 pandemic, the climate crisis, and the 6 January insurrection in the United States.

The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists established the clock in 1947, starting at seven minutes to midnight.

In 1953, when the US and USSR tested hydrogen bombs, the clock was at two minutes to midnight. A decade later, the countries signed the Partial Test Ban Treaty and the clock moved to 12 minutes to midnight.

The furthest it has ever been from midnight was 17 minutes in 1991.

With reporting by Press Association

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    Mute gallybanders
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    Jan 20th 2022, 3:42 PM

    In a hundred years time they will look back at this with great laughter into what gobsh!tes people were

    207
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    Mute Ajax Penumbra
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    Jan 20th 2022, 3:47 PM

    @gallybanders: You’re referring to the Journal comments section, yeah?

    138
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    Mute Nigel Scully
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    Jan 20th 2022, 3:40 PM

    We are grand for a while yet, don’t the clocks go back in winter?

    144
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    Mute Shaun Gallagher
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    Jan 20th 2022, 3:16 PM

    Ah jasis

    105
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    Mute Sean McCarthy
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    Jan 20th 2022, 3:45 PM

    People have been fearful of apocalypse for aeons from the sun god worshippers right to the modern day. It’s funny how science is used nowadays to legitimise an argument. I’ve rarely met two scientists who agree with each other, most you could argue are modern day Seer’s.

    59
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    Mute Kevin O' Brien
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    Jan 20th 2022, 3:42 PM

    On a more positive note, Kevin O’Brien does not care

    52
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    Mute Pol Mlp
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    Jan 20th 2022, 3:21 PM

    No hassle yet…sure thats 10 times the length of time it takes me with my partner

    53
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    Mute Anna Carr
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    Jan 20th 2022, 3:33 PM

    Ah for God’s sake. Get a life, bubble living scientists. Flippin Sheldon Coopers

    58
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    Mute Stu Cullum
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    Jan 20th 2022, 3:53 PM

    Sure, just move it back.

    38
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    Mute Fred spins kdb
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    Jan 20th 2022, 3:56 PM

    Open the horologists!

    34
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    Mute Franny Ando
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    Jan 20th 2022, 4:04 PM

    @Fred spins kdb: Now that’s funny:):)

    6
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    Mute Fergus Quinlan
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    Jan 20th 2022, 4:36 PM

    The insurrection in America…….a threat…..this was a minor fracas….. which threatened none…

    36
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    Mute Will
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    Jan 20th 2022, 4:06 PM

    The January 6th ‘Insurrection’ is a threat to human existence on planet earth?
    Did Nancy Pelosi write this drivel?

    64
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    Mute Peter
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    Jan 20th 2022, 4:31 PM

    @Will: think it all the way through. First major attack on democracy in US history, in due course under worst case scenario this leads to civil war, this could in turn lead to nuclear weapons falling into the hands of die hard lunatics from one side or another or possibly into the hands of terrorists when security is lax at a nuclear site or if one side needs extra money to buy convential weapons.

    As for those that scoff at the clock, fine what ever but simple fact is that this is a visual warning that we as a spiecies have created the ability to destroy this planet and that we now are in a position to do so very quickly. Its a call to the ordinary people to take action, to tell our leaders we want climate solutions and harmany not war and terror.

    I dont see that as a bad thing.

    39
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    Mute Karen 'Polly' Johnson
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    Jan 20th 2022, 8:24 PM

    @Peter:

    You lost me at ‘think it’…

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    Mute Paul Greham
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    Jan 20th 2022, 11:03 PM

    @Karen ‘Polly’ Johnson: Spot on Polly

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    Mute ⚡ Seánie ⚡
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    Jan 20th 2022, 3:38 PM

    That’s great, it starts with an earthquake
    Birds and snakes, an aeroplane, Lenny Bruce is not afraid
    Eye of a hurricane, listen to yourself churn
    World serves its own needs, don’t misserve your own needs

    29
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    Mute Alan Roddy
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    Jan 20th 2022, 5:08 PM

    No safer, but also, apparently, no less safe. And the fact the world is no better off with Biden than with trump should tell you something also

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    Mute E.J. Murray
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    Jan 20th 2022, 5:04 PM

    World War 3 will take our minds off climate change for a while, then the mutants can whinge about nuclear winters and how the lottery is fixed.

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    Mute Eoin Roche
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    Jan 20th 2022, 3:56 PM

    These tiresome feckers are like your parents giving an empty threat countdown to the naughty step. “ill count to 3……. one, two, two and a quarter, two and a half, two and nine sixteenths.” Its just bogus anyway, its not like the clock will be left behind after Vlad pushes the button.

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    Mute Jonathan O'Riordan
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    Jan 20th 2022, 3:18 PM

    It is certainly no safer- multiple global hot spots currently

    12
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    Mute Dave Johnston
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    Jan 20th 2022, 4:56 PM

    About as accurate as old moores almanac.

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    Mute SilentFugitive
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    Jan 20th 2022, 4:38 PM

    What’s the blanket for in the pic – is it part of a great unveiling? Drum roll please, “We are…” {dah dah dah} “100 seconds from doom!!!”. Jeez.

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    Mute Colm de Cleir
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    Jan 20th 2022, 4:56 PM

    What does 100 seconds to midnight meanders? Like the world will end in 100 seconds? Does the last person alive have to set the clock to midnight just before they die? Because we’ll look like right feicin eejits if they don’t….

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    Mute Colm de Cleir
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    Jan 20th 2022, 4:56 PM

    @Colm de Cleir: Aaaaghh _mean_ – why does my phone think I want to say “meanders”?

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    Mute lelookcoco
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    Jan 20th 2022, 4:23 PM

    Time for Jool’s Hootenanny!

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    Mute Sean Higgins
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    Jan 20th 2022, 5:28 PM

    And we are still here…….

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    Mute Agrippa☘️
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    Jan 20th 2022, 4:48 PM

    Ah ffs!

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    Mute Paul Quirke
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    Jan 20th 2022, 5:59 PM

    A bunch of scientists using a clock for a relative indicator sounds kind of ironic

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    Mute Tom Mullally
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    Jan 20th 2022, 6:07 PM

    There is no mention of various visionaries saying that if people don’t turn back to God there will be a chastisement which would be worse than the result of climate change.

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    Mute Peter Lewis Jnr
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    Jan 20th 2022, 7:02 PM

    @Tom Mullally: because the Journal is a news outlet and not the Beano.

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    Mute Fiona Fitzgerald
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    Jan 20th 2022, 8:24 PM

    @Tom Mullally: Try YouTube, they’re cluttering up the comments there on every recent volcano video with random doom mongering pleas.

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    Mute Simon
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    Jan 20th 2022, 7:49 PM

    What is the point in this clock

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    Mute lelookcoco
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    Jan 20th 2022, 8:56 PM

    @Simon: Midnight. And Midday.

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    Mute Paul Greham
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    Jan 20th 2022, 11:05 PM

    They should plant it beside the Millennium Clock in the Liffey.

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    Mute Paul A Kane
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    Jan 21st 2022, 2:24 PM

    Two minutes to midnight

    1
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