Since time immemorial, people seem to like predicting the end of the world, and seem to enjoy counting the days until the end. For as long as time can remember, predictions about the catastrophic end of the world or be-all-end-all event that would change the world has been documented, reiterated, reinvented, and restated. From the Greek re-occurring theme of the world’s passing of ages, to the biblical Revelations, the Norse Ragnarok to the Iranian Frashokereti, apocalyptic literature dots the world. It is only appropriate that the present day has its own story of the end, that which is called the Doomsday Clock, measuring the Minutes to Midnight.
Already inspiring a number of pop culture songs, and appearing in all sorts of creative works such as Linkin Park’s 2007 Album titled “Minutes to Midnight”, and the 1984 song “2 Minutes to Midnight” by Iron Maiden. This symbolic and metaphorical end of the world clock first came into existence almost 70 years ago. The Clock, which traces its roots to an international group of researchers referred to as the Chicago Atomic Scientists, has been maintained since 1947. The Clock face itself is a depiction found on the regular publishing of the “Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists” – a non-technical academic journal first published in 1945 after the increased interest and concern surrounding atomic energy and atomic weaponry caused by the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki at the end of World War 2. The journal itself covered issues and topics on global security, public safety, and the dangers associated with weapons of mass destruction, emerging technologies, and – recently – climate change.
Starting in 1947, the journal started featuring what became known as the Doomsday Clock, which was featured on the front cover and depicted the number of minutes remaining until midnight. Midnight is described by the journal to be the catastrophic end of the world, and each minute to midnight was to reflect the current level of danger mankind faced in its current day and age based on world events. The clock has become a universally-recognized indicator of the world and humankind’s vulnerability to catastrophe of nuclear weapons and technology, climate change, and developing technologies in the life sciences.
The clock itself has moved throughout its 60+ years of life, its furthest point from midnight, being 17 minutes, in 1991, and it closest being 2 minutes to midnight in 1953. Here is a brief break down of its changes throughout the years:
1947: Initially set at 7 minutes to midnight
1949 – 1963: Variations between 3 to 12 minutes to midnight, as both sides of the Cold War test thermonuclear devices, get involved in the Suez Canal crisis, and sign the Partial Test Ban Treaty.
1968 – 1974: Variations between 7 to 12 minutes to midnight Regional Wars; Vietnam War, Indo-Pakistani War, and the acquisition of nuclear weapons by France and China. The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty as well as the Anti-Ballistic Missile treaty are signed by various countries.
1980 – 1984: From 9 minutes to midnight in 1974, the clock moves to an all-time low since 1953, going down to 3 minutes to midnight in 1984, thanks to the escalation of tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union due to the Afghanistan war.
1988 – 1991: Sees improvement going up to 6 to 10 minutes to midnight as both sides of the Cold War sign the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty in 1988, and the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989/90.
1995 – 2002: These years would see another downward spiral as the clock once again reaches 7 minutes to midnight by 2002 due to the continued global military spending and additional nuclear tests held by India and Pakistan. The United States also shows intentions of withdrawing from the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty signed 25 years earlier, due to the increased concern of nuclear terrorist attack.
2007 – 2012: There would be little change in the doomsday clock, as it hovers back and forth between 5 and 6 minutes to midnight due to North Korea’s increased missile tests and Iran’s nuclear ambitions. The global effort for nuclear disarmament meets more barricades and continues to struggle as both Russia and the United States fail to further reduce nuclear stockpiles. The concern for climate change also enters the criteria and is added to the list of threats against humankind.
The year 2015 found itself down to 3 minutes to midnight as concerns continue to mount regarding the lack of global political action towards global climate, as well as the failure of the Kyoto Protocol. Modernization of nuclear weapons and the increasing problem regarding nuclear waste hound at the heel of humankind.
As of January 26, 2016, the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists announced that the Doomsday Clock will remain at 3 minutes to midnight. Despite the progress made with Iran’s nuclear agreement and the Paris climate accord, the group stated these “constitute only small bright spots in a darker world situation full of potential catastrophe” (Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, 2016). The reasons for the clock’s current time have been stated to reflect the once again rising tensions between the United States and Russia, the crisis in Syria, as well as the fresh wounds in Ukraine. On the topic of climate change, the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists have stated that the “international community has not developed coordinated plans to meet cost, safety, radioactive waste management, and proliferation challenges that large-scale nuclear expansion poses.” The Bulletin has also addressed their increased concerns over the lack of an alternative pursued by global leaders to the progressively damaging fossil fuels. Once again, the group states that aside from a few positive changes, “the major challenges the Bulletin laid out for governments… [a year ago] have not been addressed, even as the overall global challenges we need to face become more urgent.”
The last time the doomsday clock has been set this close to midnight was 1984. Sitting at 23:57 humankind once again sees itself close to the brink of destruction.
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