The Doomsday Clock has been set at a record mark of 89 seconds to midnight

The Bulletin of Atomic Scientists, a non-profit organization headquartered in the USA, has set the symbolic Doomsday Clock at 89 seconds to midnight. This is the most dangerous level since the clock's creation in 1947. The Doomsday Clock was created by scientists who participated in the Manhattan Project as a symbolic indicator of global threat levels. Initially, the clock was set at 7 minutes to midnight. In 1949, with increasing risk of nuclear war, the hands moved to 3 minutes, and in 1991, after the end of the Cold War, the clock showed 17 minutes to midnight. The Bulletin of Atomic Scientists notes that 2024 has been marked by deepening global crises: • Climate change: for the first time since the pre-industrial era, global warming exceeded 1.5°C, making 2024 the hottest year on record. • Conflicts: the war in Ukraine entered its third year, the situation in the Middle East has escalated, and nuclear-armed countries continue to expand their arsenals. • Health threat: rapid spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) increases the risk of a new global pandemic. Scientists emphasize that the spread of disinformation and the influence of artificial intelligence also increase global risks. It is noted that the US, China, and Russia, possessing nuclear destruction potential, bear special responsibility for global security. As former Colombian president and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Juan Manuel Santos noted: "There is still time to make the right decisions and turn back the hands of the Doomsday Clock. In Colombia, they say: 'Every second counts.' Let's use every second wisely."