On January 17th, 2007, the Doomsday Clock lurched forward in a way that grabbed the world's attention — moving from seven minutes to midnight all the way up to five minutes to midnight. For the scientists responsible for this symbolic timepiece, the message was clear: humanity had drifted dangerously closer to nuclear armageddon.

What prompted this unsettling shift? North Korea's first nuclear test served as the immediate trigger, but the picture was far more complex than a single event. The USA and Russia — the planet's two dominant nuclear powers — had hit a wall in their negotiations over reducing nuclear arsenals, fueling rising global tensions. On top of all that, the scientists behind the clock were starting to factor in another looming existential threat: climate change, which they viewed as increasingly dire.

Alongside their decision to advance the clock, the scientists issued a statement that went beyond sounding the alarm — it offered concrete steps that could help pull humanity back from the brink. Their recommendations included:

  • Reduce overall readiness of nuclear forces in both the US and Russia
  • Remove nuclear weapons from day-to-day military operations
  • Cease production of nuclear weapons materials
  • Engage in political discussions about the proliferation of nuclear technologies and their environmental impact

The origins of the Doomsday Clock stretch back to 1947, when it was conceived as a stark visual warning about the existential danger nuclear weapons posed to civilization — particularly amid the escalating arms race between the USA and the Soviet Union. Since its creation, the clock has been reset 24 times, and its scope has broadened considerably over the decades to encompass other threats to human survival, including environmental catastrophes and pandemics.

As of its most recent reset in 2021, the clock stands at a harrowing 100 seconds to midnight — the closest it has ever been to the apocalyptic threshold. That latest adjustment reflected deep concerns about the global pandemic as well as the emerging danger posed by nuclear-capable hypersonic missiles.