Doomsday Clock Moves Closer to Midnight Than It's Ever Been
Atomic scientists set the 2026 "Doomsday Clock" to 85 seconds to midnight on Tuesday, and that's the closest it's ever been to theoretical annihilation.
The usual threats are still on the list—nuclear weapons, climate change—but scientists also pointed to artificial intelligence, which they say is getting weaponized to spread disinformation. This is the third time in the past five years the clock has moved closer to midnight.
"Every second counts, and we are running out of time. It is a hard truth, but this is our reality," Alexandra Bell, President and CEO of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, said.
Not exactly the pep talk anyone was hoping for.
What This Clock Actually Measures
The "Doomsday Clock" is a symbolic measure that represents how close humanity is to destroying itself through disruptive technologies. Scientists created it in 1947 during the Cold War, when the U.S. and Soviet Union were locked in a nuclear arms race.
The closer to midnight, the closer we supposedly are to wiping ourselves out. Eighty-five seconds doesn't leave much room for error.
AI Is Making Everything Worse
Scientists stressed how AI is supercharging disinformation campaigns. Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Ressa said during the announcement that the world is living through "informational armageddon" thanks to social media and generative AI—neither of which is "anchored in facts."
"Human beings have been commodified by a predatory and extractive industry," Ressa said.
Bleak? Yes. Wrong? Hard to argue when misinformation spreads faster than actual news and most people can't tell what's real anymore.
Nuclear Threats Haven't Gone Anywhere
Scientists also called out recent conflicts between nuclear-armed states and pushed the Trump Administration to reduce nuclear proliferation risks by reengaging with Russia.
The New START Treaty—the last remaining agreement limiting Russian deployed intercontinental-range nuclear weapons—expires February 4 without any clear signal it's getting renewed.
Putin suspended inspections and treaty-mandated data exchange in 2023 over Ukraine, but has said he's interested in restarting nuclear arms talks in 2025. Trump hasn't responded.
"This is a piece of low-hanging fruit that the Trump Administration should have seized months ago," Science and Security Board member Jon B. Wolfsthal said. Both countries could reach an agreement "today" if they wanted to.
Bell pointed out that while Trump Administration policies have tipped the clock closer to midnight, leaders around the world have failed across the board.
"No matter the government, a shift toward neo-imperialism, an Orwellian approach to governance would only serve to push the clock toward midnight," she said.
It's Not Too Late Yet
Bell said the problems facing the world feel overwhelming, but they're human-made and still solvable.
"There is not a single elegant solution for any of the problems that we are facing, but these problems are solvable," Bell said. "Every time we've been able to turn back the hands of the clock, it's been because we have scientists and experts working to find solutions, and the public was demanding action."
So the Doomsday Clock is at 85 seconds to midnight. Nuclear threats are still very real. AI is making disinformation worse. Climate change keeps accelerating. World leaders aren't doing enough.
Scientists insist the problems are solvable if people demand action and leaders take things seriously. Whether that happens before the clock runs out is anybody's guess.
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