Experts highlighted the growing threat of biological and nuclear weapons (Image: Getty)
The Doomsday Clock has provided a grim indication of how close the world is to total annihilation for more than 80 years and – the closest it has ever been.
Announcing their decision to move the time forward by one second on Tuesday, the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists urged global leaders to “pull the world back from the brink”.
Warning that “continuing on the current path is a form of madness”, they set out four reasons why we are closer than ever before to a catastrophic event.
1. The growing threat of a nuclear attack
States holding have been investing heavily in modernising their arsenals, the Bulletin said.
Dr Manpreet Sethi, a fellow at India’s Centre for Air Power Studies, said: “Right from the time that first undertook the invasion in , it was with a fair bit of nuclear sabre-rattling.”
Countries have been building up their nuclear capabilities (Image: Getty)
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She also highlighted relationships between countries including , Pakistan, and , who have been helping one another develop nuclear programmes.
Dr Sethi raised concerns about treaties breaking down, including ’s suspended compliance with the New START treaty and withdrawal of ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty.
And she warned that China is rapidly increasing its nuclear arsenal. Dr Sethi added: “The US has abdicated its role as a voice of caution.
“It seems inclined to expand its nuclear arsenal and adopt a posture that reinforces the belief that ‘limited’ use of nuclear weapons can be managed. Such misplaced confidence could have us stumble into a nuclear war.”
Daniel Holz, chair of Bulletin’s Science and Security Board, added: “A lot of the rhetoric is really disturbing, so there is this grown sense that some nation might end up using nuclear weapons, and that’s terrifying.”
Experts warned AI could be integrated into weapons of war (Image: Getty)
2. Dangers of disruptive technology including artificial intelligence
can bring many benefits, such as searching vast databases of to find potential new treatments for diseases.
But Dr Herb Lin, a senior research scholar for cyber policy and security at the Center for International Security and Cooperation, said it could also have huge implications in warfare.
He said: “Proposals to integrate artificial intelligence into weapons of war raise questions about the extent to which machines will be allowed to make or support military decisions—even when such decisions could kill on a vast scale.
“Even if a human always make the final decision on the use of nuclear weapons, how and when, if at all, should AI be used to support such decision making?
“How should we think about lethal autonomous weapons, which identify and destroy targets without human intervention?”
AI also has the potential to “accelerate chaos and disorder” by fuelling dysfunction in the world’s information eco-system, Dr Lin warned.
The shocking LA wildfires highlighted the devastating effects of climate change (Image: Getty)
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3. Poor progress on tackling climate change
Investment into and adoption of renewable energy sources has increased in the last year but “it’s not happening quite fast enough and the urgency just isn’t there”, Mr Holz said.
Recent and have highlighted the devastating effects of more extreme weather events linked to climate change.
Dr Robert Socolow, professor emeritus in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Princeton University, said: “2024 was the hottest year on record.
“Extreme weather and other climate events—floods, tropical cyclones, extreme heat, drought, and wildfires – devastated societies, rich and poor, as well as ecosystems around the world.
“Yet the global greenhouse gas emissions that drive climate change continued to rise. And investments to adapt to climate change and cut fossil fuel emissions were way below what is needed to avoid the worst impacts.”
Dr Socolow also warned of “formidable policy headwinds globally”, with appearing to be a low priority in the recent .
4. Daunting biological threats
The world came together to fight the pandemic and scientists pioneered life-saving on an unprecedented scale. But experts are concerned about the growth of anti-vax campaigns and misinformation about public health measures.
Bulletin member Dr Suzet McKinney, director of Life Sciences for Sterling Bay real estate firm in Chicago, said: “Infectious diseases are a constant threat to mankind, but unfortunately the collective experience with -19 has increased skepticism about the recommendations of public health officials, especially the use of medical countermeasures to mitigate disease spread.
“Concern is also growing over the proliferation of pathogen laboratories around the world, as well as nefariously using AI in biological research and development.”
There are a growing number of high-containment bio-laboratories around the world studying dangerous pathogens. And , raising fears that it could mutate and trigger a deadly pandemic.
Dr McKinney added: “Collectively, leaders must establish knowledgeable authorities to provide trustworthy information, increase reporting of changing disease patterns as the climate changes, decrease the number of high-containment laboratories, and curtail active biological weapons programs.”
The world may not be ready for another pandemic, experts warned (Image: Getty)
So how worried should we be?
Announcing the decision to move the Doomsday Clock forward, Mr Holz could not have issued a starker warning to international leaders.
He said the world was “perilously close to the precipice” so even just one second of movement should betaken as “an indication of extreme danger and an unmistakable warning”.
Mr Holz added: “Our message here is, there are actions we can take to reduce these risks and we should be taking those actions.
“We are at the most dangerous moment in the history of the Doomsday Clock. Our hope for the coming year is that the world commits to turning back the hands of the clock.”