Yesterday morning, Chicagoans (and denizens around the world) may have started panicking. The iconic Doomsday Clock, run by the Chicago-based Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists as a tool to warn civilization about humanity's proximity to man-made catastrophe, was suddenly set to 89 seconds to midnight, the closest it has ever been to the end of times.
Although the clock technically moved up a single second, the repercussions of the change are very clear: Experts noted that climate-related issues, biological hazards and the potential for nuclear conflicts pressured them into the decision, their first move since 2023, from 100 to 90 seconds.
How was the Doomsday Clock created?
Let's back it all up.
For the uninitiated, the Doomsday Clock was created in 1947 "to conceptualize the threat to human existence," according to the Chicago-Sun Times.
The concept was established by the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, which was founded back in December of 1945, right after World War II, by Albert Einstein, J. Robert Oppenheimer and University of Chicago scientists.
Every year, the experts on the board convene to talk about the various factors that affect the world's trajectory towards destruction and decide where to set the clock.
Where is the Doomsday Clock located and can you visit it?
The Doomsday Clock is found at the offices of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, in the lobby of the Keller Center, which is home to the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy, at 1307 East 60th Street.
Curious wanderers are welcome to visit the clock in the lobby.
What happens if the Doomsday Clock hits midnight?
Let's be clear: The Doomsday Clock is really just a concept meant to turn our attention towards the man-made actions that can lead to global catastrophe.
That being said, if the Doomsday Clock were to hit midnight, it would signal that humanity is on the brink of catastrophic destruction, likely due to our own actions. While the clock is a symbolic tool designed to raise awareness about existential threats, reaching midnight would indicate we’re dangerously close to irreversible consequences for civilization.