A science-oriented advocacy group says the Earth is moving closer to destruction. The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists said Tuesday that they've moved their “Doomsday Clock” to 89 seconds to midnight, the closest it has ever been, because of worsening threats ranging from nuclear war to climate cha

Summary

The “Doomsday Clock” has been moved to 89 seconds to midnight, the closest it has ever been, according to the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists.

The group cited threats including climate change, nuclear proliferation, the war in Ukraine, pandemics, and the integration of AI into military operations.

Concerns about cooperation between Russia, China, and North Korea on nuclear programs and the potential use of nuclear weapons by Russia were highlighted.

The group urged global leaders to collaborate in addressing existential threats to reverse the clock’s progression.

  • @[email protected]English
    18•2 days ago

    It’s especially stupid as a clock whose time is continually stopped, and whose time is either adjusted forward a few seconds or backward a few seconds every few years. That metaphor just makes no sense.

    Some arbitrary score out of 100 would make as little sense, but at least it wouldn’t involve a strange nonsensical metaphor.

    The concept they’re really trying to communicate is better illustrated by the Sword of Damocles. It’s a danger that’s always looming that could turn into disaster at any time. But, nobody knows exactly when. If they switched to using a Sword of Damocles metaphor, they could talk about strands in the rope holding the sword getting frayed or breaking. Like, one strand represents the environment. One represents the possibility of nuclear war. One represents global health and pandemics. When something good happens, like an environmental treaty, they could talk about how that strand was being repaired.