The researchers behind the organization Bulletin of Atomic Scientists announced this on Tuesday.

As the main reasons, they point to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the danger of nuclear escalation.

In addition, they point to climate change and the erosion of global norms and institutions needed to manage risks related to technological developments and biological threats such as the coronavirus pandemic.

– More dangerous than ever

– We live in more dangerous times than ever. The doomsday clock reflects this reality, says Rachel Bronson, who heads the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists.

He said organizational experts did not take the decision to present the symbolic clock lightly.

Among the experts participating in the assessment, there will be as many as ten former Nobel Prize winners.

The Swedish government immediately held a press conference on the NATO application

The Bulletin of Atomic Scientists was founded in 1945 by Albert Einstein, J. Robert Oppenheimer and other scientists who had helped develop the United States’ first nuclear weapons.

The organization describes the doomsday hour as a metaphor to show how close humanity is to annihilating itself.

Nuclear arsenal

in 2020, the clock is set to 100 seconds to midnight – which is closer to “apocalypse” than ever before.

Now scientists believe we are ten seconds away from collapse.

Of all the countries in the world, Russia has the largest nuclear arsenal. Ukraine’s defense forces are supported by the United States, which has the second largest nuclear arsenal.

– The US government, NATO allies and Ukraine have a number of channels through which to dialogue, Bronson said.

He urged political leaders to explore these channels to make it possible to turn back the doomsday clock.

(NTB)