The Doomsday Clock has been moved to two minutes to midnight, the closest since 1953, reflecting an increased nuclear threat, relative to the risk of global catastrophe. The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists explains that they set the clock at seven minutes before midnight in 1947 after atomic bombs were dropped on Japan.
The Doomsday Clock has inched a minute closer to midnight as tensions between the U.S. and North Korea grow, with three scientists saying the risk of nuclear war is at its highest level in 15 years
The Doomsday Clock is a symbolic indicator of how close the world is to catastrophe. In 2017, it was moved ahead a minute, matching its closest proximity to midnight since 1953. The decision was made by the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists’ Science and Security Board in concert with the Board’s Board Chair Richard Perle, William Schneider, vice chair; Kenneth R.nuclear threat rises