89 Seconds to Midnight

It seems the Doomsday Clock has inched even closer to the dreaded midnight. As of January 28, 2025, the symbolic clock now sits at 89 seconds to midnight—the closest it has ever been. Established in 1947 by the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, the Doomsday Clock has served as a stark visual representation of humanity’s proximity to global catastrophe. Over the past two decades, its hands have steadily crept forward, reflecting increasing existential threats, from nuclear tensions to climate crises and the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence.

If the scientific community were to acknowledge the existence of non-human intelligences (NHI) operating within our skies, the implications for the Doomsday Clock could be profound. The introduction of an unknown and potentially superior technology would add a new dimension to global risk assessments. The uncertainty surrounding the intentions and capabilities of such entities could exacerbate existing geopolitical tensions, potentially bringing humanity closer to midnight on the Doomsday Clock.

Recent reports of unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP) over New Jersey have sparked significant public concern. These UFOs exhibit behaviors such as glowing, morphing, mimicking and hovering over homes. Despite ongoing investigations, authorities have yet to provide definitive explanations for these sightings. The persistent presence of these UFOs underscores a broader issue: the apparent inability to fully control and monitor U.S. airspace. This situation raises questions about national security and the potential implications of such phenomena.

Since 2005, the Doomsday Clock has undergone multiple adjustments, each reflecting major geopolitical, technological, and environmental concerns. In 2007, the clock was moved to five minutes to midnight, largely due to growing nuclear threats and the looming effects of climate change. By 2012, despite slight improvements in diplomatic relations and nuclear arms reductions, concerns over global instability kept the clock at five minutes. However, the situation worsened in 2015 when the Bulletin advanced the hands to three minutes to midnight, citing failure to curb climate change and renewed nuclear tensions.

The following years saw the clock move progressively closer to midnight. In 2017, the scientists set it at two and a half minutes, reflecting increasing global instability following the breakdown of major international agreements and rising political tensions among nuclear-armed nations. By 2018, it was set at two minutes to midnight, a mark that hadn’t been reached since the Cold War. This was attributed to the withdrawal from nuclear treaties, aggressive rhetoric from global powers, and the acceleration of climate change.

In 2020, for the first time in history, the Bulletin set the clock to 100 seconds to midnight, citing heightened nuclear risks, rampant misinformation, and insufficient responses to climate threats. The COVID-19 pandemic further demonstrated global vulnerability, reinforcing concerns about biological threats and the fragility of international cooperation. The clock remained at 100 seconds for three years, until 2023, when it moved even closer—to 90 seconds to midnight—largely due to the war in Ukraine and the growing instability in global nuclear policy.

Now, in 2025, we stand at a mere 89 seconds to midnight. This latest shift reflects a confluence of crises. The ongoing conflict in Ukraine continues to fuel nuclear fears, as Russia’s saber-rattling escalates tensions with NATO. The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence, particularly its potential use in autonomous weapons and misinformation campaigns, raises alarms among scientists and security experts. Climate change remains an ever-present threat, with extreme weather events becoming more frequent and deadly. All these factors contribute to what Daniel Holz, chair of the Bulletin’s Science and Security Board, has called “a warning to all world leaders.”

The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists will host a live virtual news conference at 10:00 a.m. EST/1500 GMT on Tuesday, January 28th, 2025, to announce if the time on the iconic “Doomsday Clock” will change. Speakers at this year’s announcement include Juan Manuel Santos, Chair of The Elders, former President of Colombia, and Nobel Peace Prize laureate; Daniel Holz, Bulletin Science and Security Board chair and professor at the University of Chicago in the Departments of Physics, Astronomy & Astrophysics, the Enrico Fermi Institute, and the Kavli Institute for Cosmological Physics; Herb Lin, Bulletin Science and Security Board member and senior research scholar for cyber policy and security at the Center for International Security and Cooperation and Hank J. Holland Fellow in Cyber Policy and Security at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University; Suzet McKinney, Bulletin Science and Security Board member and principal and director of Life Sciences for Sterling Bay; Manpreet Sethi, Bulletin Science and Security Board member and distinguished fellow at the Centre for Air Power Studies in New Delhi; and Robert Socolow, Bulletin Science and Security Board member and professor emeritus in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Princeton University.

Each year, more than 10,000 people permanently go missing in the United States alone and are never found. Globally, many more people vanish under mysterious circumstances, often without a trace. The scale of these disappearances, both nationally and worldwide, raises unsettling questions about human security and the unknown forces that may be at play.

The Doomsday Clock is not an inevitable countdown, but rather a stark warning—a reminder that the trajectory of human civilization is in our hands. While the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists does not predict the future, it urges world leaders and policymakers to take action before it is too late. As the hands of the clock inch ever closer to midnight, one can only hope that the warnings are heeded and that steps are taken to pull humanity back from the brink. The recent adjustment of the Doomsday Clock to 89 seconds before midnight underscores the escalating global threats we face today.

However, the Doomsday Clock doesn’t currently encompass the full spectrum of existential risks. The acknowledgment of Non-Human Intelligence (NHI) and the acceptance of time travel narratives could further exacerbate global anxieties. Recognizing the existence of NHI might challenge foundational beliefs and societal structures, potentially leading to widespread uncertainty and fear. Similarly, if time travel stories were accepted as reality, it could disrupt our understanding of causality and history, possibly resulting in geopolitical instability as nations grapple with the implications of such capabilities.

The realization of the Public that the unidentified aerial phenomena are manifestations of divine and demonic forces introduces additional layers of complexity. These perspectives suggest a cosmic battle between light and darkness, with humanity caught in the middle. Such interpretations could heighten fears and superstitions, further destabilizing societal cohesion.