(24 January 2024 – United States) The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists have kept the Doomsday Clock hands in the same precarious position at the closest it has ever been to midnight – 90 seconds.
Nuclear, climate and technology experts assemble in Chicago annually to determine where to place the hands of the Doomsday Clock. While no change may appear as a relief, it in fact emphasises the continued risk of catastrophe. How close is the human race to terminal destruction and if so, why?
The Bulletin cited four key sources of risk: nuclear weapons, climate change, biological threats and unchecked artificial intelligence (AI) advances.
“Make no mistake, resetting the Doomsday Clock at 90 seconds to midnight is not an indication that the world is stable…quite the opposite” commented Bulletin CEO and President, Rachel Bronson.