The countdown continues: 89 seconds to midnight

On the 28th of January, the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists revealed the annual doomsday clock. The clock was revealed to be 89 seconds to midnight, one second closer than the previous two years, signifying the closest humanity has ever been to an extinction event. However, is there still time left to turn back the clock or are we really doomed?

The doomsday clock was generated by the Chicago Atomic Scientists in 1947, after their participation in the Manhattan Project (nuclear research and development during the Second World War, which led to the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki). Two of the most notable scientists involved in this project included Albert Einstein and J. Robert Oppenheimer, the latter of whom is often referred to as the 'Father of the Atomic Bomb.'

The clock metaphorically represents how close we are to global disaster, or a mass extinction-level event, as proposed by the world's leading scientists. Midnight signifies the end of humanity as we know it, with the 'distance from midnight' implying how much longer we have left to act. Evidently, 89 seconds is not very long...

In 1947, the Doomsday Clock was set to 7 minutes to midnight, in response to the first use of nuclear weapons in Japan at the end of the second world war. The use of atomic weapons was a turning point in our history, warning us of the mass destruction that future wars could bring.

Since 1947, the clock has been wound backwards 8 times and forwards 18 times, fluctuating depending on the severity of global threats. The furthest time from midnight was 17 minutes in 1991 (oh, to be alive in the 90s), and the closest is...you've guessed it....89 seconds.

But why are we closer than ever before to human extinction? What can we do to prevent ourselves from creeping ever closer to Midnight?

2024 was a tumultuous year, filled with political unrest, climate catastrophes and advancing technologies. The Israel-Gaza war left thousands of civilians dead or displaced and was an eye-opening display of ruthless violence, while the war ragged on in Ukraine as Putin solidified himself as even more of a global threat. In the world of politics, Donald Trump regained power in the US, endorsed by his pet billionaire Elon Musk- who has become one of the most powerful and dangerous men in the world.

Advancing technologies are becoming more of a threat every year, with AI becoming a recognised part of everyday life. Meanwhile, the warning signs of climate change are ever-present, with rising sea levels, the wildfires raging through California and unprecedented storms and hurricanes causing destruction across the globe.

With all the aforementioned threats to human life, it's no surprise that leading scientists assume Armageddon is just around the corner.

However, it's not all doom and gloom. We've brought ourselves back from the brink of extinction many times before, so what's stopping us from doing it again? In our vastly developing world, where technological breakthroughs and advancements are daily occurrences, surely we already have the answers to saving the human race?

According to the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists, the US, China and Russia 'have the collective power to destroy civilisation.' These global powers have the responsibility of bringing the world back from the brink of destruction, and it is up to them to set their differences aside and work together at this crucial hour.

Though there is little that you or I can do to prevent the chaos that nuclear war or the accelerating climate crisis might bring, we can do our part by pressuring our governments to address these issues and make positive changes before it's too late. Though it can be difficult to sit back and watch while the world crumbles around us, we must remember that 89 seconds (though it doesn't sound like long), may still be enough time to save humanity.