This statement from the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists sets the Doomsday Clock at 85 seconds to midnight, the closest it has ever been, signaling an intensifying risk of global catastrophe. It highlights the convergence of escalating threats, including nuclear conflict, climate change, biotechnology risks, and unregulated artificial intelligence, all compounded by rising nationalism, autocracy, and a breakdown in international cooperation. The statement warns that without urgent and coordinated global leadership, the world risks systemic collapse, and it advocates for national leaders to cooperate and find a path away from the brink.
It is Now 85 Seconds to Midnight
Author(s)
John Mecklin (ed.)
Publication Date
27 January 2026
Publisher
Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists
DOI / URL
Resource Type
Newsletter
Systems Addressed
Climate • Geopolitics and International Security • Technology
Resource Theme
Catastrophic and Existential Risk
