Eighty years after Hiroshima global threats push Doomsday Clock to the brink
TOI World Desk | TIMESOFINDIA.COM | Aug 07, 2025, 22:37 IST
( Image credit : PTI )
Eighty years post-Hiroshima, the Doomsday Clock remains at a perilous 89 seconds to midnight, reflecting persistent global instability. Nuclear tensions, the climate crisis, and unregulated technologies converge as existential threats. Scientists urge immediate action, including diplomatic revival, arms control, climate reforms, and technology regulation, to avert potential catastrophe and ensure humanity's future.
Eighty years after the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, the symbolic Doomsday Clock remains just 89 seconds from midnight—the closest it has ever been to signaling global catastrophe. Maintained by the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, the clock serves as a stark reminder of the mounting dangers facing humanity, from escalating nuclear tensions to climate crisis and unregulated technologies.
The unchanged setting in 2025 reflects deepening global instability. According to scientists behind the clock’s monitoring, the world continues to face an unprecedented convergence of existential threats, with no significant progress toward resolving any of them.
Among the most pressing concerns is the resurgence of nuclear conflict risks. The ongoing Russia-Ukraine war and strained relations between major powers such as the United States and China have intensified fears of miscalculation or accidental escalation. Arms control agreements, once a critical barrier to global nuclear proliferation, are eroding without meaningful replacement, leaving nations more vulnerable to a renewed arms race.
In addition to nuclear threats, the climate crisis continues to unfold with increasing severity. Global temperatures have reached historic highs, triggering extreme weather events across continents. Wildfires, floods, and prolonged droughts have devastated communities and disrupted economies, displacing millions. Despite commitments under the Paris Agreement, experts warn that carbon emissions remain dangerously high and the pace of climate action remains insufficient to prevent irreversible damage.
Technological developments are adding to the global risk equation. Rapid advancements in artificial intelligence, particularly in military applications, have raised alarms due to the lack of oversight and international regulation. Similarly, breakthroughs in biotechnology and synthetic biology present opportunities but also serious threats—ranging from accidental lab leaks to the potential for bioterrorism.
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, concerns over biological hazards have only deepened. Experts argue that without strong global governance, emerging technologies could worsen the fragile state of international security.
The decision to leave the Doomsday Clock at 89 seconds to midnight signals an urgent call for global cooperation. The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists has emphasized that the current trajectory is unsustainable, and that immediate, coordinated action is required from world leaders. They advocate for the revival of diplomatic dialogue, reinvestment in arms control, aggressive climate policy reforms, and the creation of frameworks to regulate powerful technologies.
As the anniversary of Hiroshima passes, the clock remains a sobering reflection of humanity’s position on the edge. Scientists warn that the choices made in the coming years will determine whether the hands of the clock move back—or strike midnight.
The unchanged setting in 2025 reflects deepening global instability. According to scientists behind the clock’s monitoring, the world continues to face an unprecedented convergence of existential threats, with no significant progress toward resolving any of them.
Among the most pressing concerns is the resurgence of nuclear conflict risks. The ongoing Russia-Ukraine war and strained relations between major powers such as the United States and China have intensified fears of miscalculation or accidental escalation. Arms control agreements, once a critical barrier to global nuclear proliferation, are eroding without meaningful replacement, leaving nations more vulnerable to a renewed arms race.
In addition to nuclear threats, the climate crisis continues to unfold with increasing severity. Global temperatures have reached historic highs, triggering extreme weather events across continents. Wildfires, floods, and prolonged droughts have devastated communities and disrupted economies, displacing millions. Despite commitments under the Paris Agreement, experts warn that carbon emissions remain dangerously high and the pace of climate action remains insufficient to prevent irreversible damage.
Technological developments are adding to the global risk equation. Rapid advancements in artificial intelligence, particularly in military applications, have raised alarms due to the lack of oversight and international regulation. Similarly, breakthroughs in biotechnology and synthetic biology present opportunities but also serious threats—ranging from accidental lab leaks to the potential for bioterrorism.
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, concerns over biological hazards have only deepened. Experts argue that without strong global governance, emerging technologies could worsen the fragile state of international security.
The decision to leave the Doomsday Clock at 89 seconds to midnight signals an urgent call for global cooperation. The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists has emphasized that the current trajectory is unsustainable, and that immediate, coordinated action is required from world leaders. They advocate for the revival of diplomatic dialogue, reinvestment in arms control, aggressive climate policy reforms, and the creation of frameworks to regulate powerful technologies.
As the anniversary of Hiroshima passes, the clock remains a sobering reflection of humanity’s position on the edge. Scientists warn that the choices made in the coming years will determine whether the hands of the clock move back—or strike midnight.