89 seconds to the end of the world: in view of the unstable world situation, scientists are warning of a global catastrophe. Researchers from the “Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists” set the symbolic time until the end of the world at 89 seconds for the first time, as they announced in Washington. In 2023, the researchers set the hands of the “Doomsday Clock” to 90 seconds before midnight for the first time and left it at that in 2024. Now they have gone one step further and warned: “The world is on a course of unprecedented risk, and continuing on the current course is a form of madness.”
Former Colombian President and Nobel Peace Prize winner Juan Manuel Santos said: “With 89 seconds to midnight, the Doomsday Clock is closer to catastrophe than ever before in its history.” Humanity is confronted with existential threats.
Climate change, nuclear weapons, health crises and misinformation
“The threat of nuclear conflict is greater than ever before,” warned Santos. The only remaining major arms control agreement between the USA and Russia is due to expire next year. The climate crisis is also coming to a head. “2024 was the hottest year since records began, triggering devastating climate shocks.” It is therefore particularly alarming that…