Atomic scientists set ‘Doomsday Clock’ closer to midnight than ever
Atomic scientists set their "Doomsday Clock" on Tuesday closer than ever to midnight, citing aggressive behavior by nuclear powers Russia, China and the United States, fraying nuclear arms control, conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East and artificial intelligence worries among factors driving risks for global disaster.
The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists set the clock to 85 seconds before midnight, the theoretical point of annihilation. That is four seconds closer than it was set last year. The Chicago-based nonprofit created the clock in 1947 during the Cold War tensions that followed World War II to warn the public about how close humankind was to destroying the world.
The scientists voiced concern about threats of the unregulated integration of AI into military systems and its potential misuse in aiding the creation of biological threats, as well as AI's role in spreading disinformation globally. They also noted continuing challenges posed by climate change.
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