Doomsday Clock closer to midnight

Scientists from the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists report that the symbolic hands of the 'Doomsday Clock' now show 85 seconds to midnight. According to Executive Director Alexander Bell, the new position brings the clock four seconds closer to 'nuclear midnight.' This event marked a significant step in the context of international discussions on the threat of nuclear conflict, highlighting attention on symbolic and actual time markers associated with potential global catastrophe.

Context

The tradition of the 'Doomsday Clock' originated in the 1980s as a symbol of the threat of nuclear war and is used to remind people of the need for international arms control.