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(Image from The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists).
The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists provided a somber reminder of the fragility of human existence Tuesday by forward-adjusting its Doomsday Clock. The Clock is currently at 90 seconds to midnight, which is the closest it has been to global disaster in its 76-year-old history.
The Doomsday Clock sounds, if you don't know it, like modern myths or conspiracy theories. It reminds us of the time when the world was supposed to end with the advent of Y2K, or 2012. It's not, unfortunately. The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists states that the Doomsday Clock is "a metaphor, a logo, a brand, and it’s one of the most recognisable symbols in the last 100 years." It is a chilling, succinct illustration of how far our inventions have led us to global destruction.
In a statement, the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists–an organization that delivers news involving "nuclear risk, climate change, and disruptive technologies"–announced that it had moved the Clock from 2020's 100 seconds to midnight to 90 seconds to midnight. Many experts believe that Russia's ongoing war against Ukraine is the main reason for the change. This increases the likelihood of nuclear conflict or even accidents. The 10-second symbolic loss is due partly to the increasing severity of the climate crisis and humanity's unwillingness to implement collective norms and institutions to address new technologies, biological risks, and disinformation.
Today, the Bulletin's Science and Security Board moved the #DoomsdayClock to #90SecondsToMidnight.
To learn more about this decision, read the 2023 Doomsday Clock Statement: https://t.co/13Y7tZUnZy pic.twitter.com/sVNGHdasGU
Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, January 24, 2023 (@BulletinAtomic).
It is not an easy decision to adjust Doomsday Clock. The Bulletin of Atomic Science's Science and Security Boards must jointly decide when and how to adjust the Clock. They also need support from the Board of Sponsors which includes 10 Nobel laureates. As you can see in the above video, even the actual act of adjustment is taken with almost militant seriousness.
"Three-years ago, I helped unveiled the Doomsday Clock, when its hands were last moved," Ban Ki-moon (Deputy Chair of The Elders, and former Secretary-General at the United Nations) said in the release. Today they are closer to midnight, proving how perilous the world has become following the COVID-19 pandemic and extreme weather events as well as Russia's shocking war against Ukraine. In 2020, the Doomsday Clock warned that leaders did not heed it. All continue to pay the price. It is crucial that they take action in 2023 for our sakes.
The organization spends large portions of its release explaining the reasons behind the Clock’s dire position. Although it is important to be informed, that's what the Clock's purpose is, some might argue that focusing on the justifications could cause more harm than good. This is acknowledged by the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. It has asked internet users to submit their #TurnBacktheClock inspirations to reduce global risk through its #TurnBacktheClock challenge. The challenge states that "We believe that humans caused these problems and we have the responsibility and opportunity to fix them." We want to hear from you about your inspirations and how we can all work together to save the planet.
The Bulletin of Atomic Scientists has a complete history of the Doomsday Clock.
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By: Adrianna Nine
Title: Doomsday Clock Moves to 90 Seconds to Midnight
Sourced From: www.extremetech.com/extreme/342609-doomsday-clock-moves-to-90-seconds-to-midnight
Published Date: Wed, 25 Jan 2023 21:23:33 +0000
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