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SCIENCEMonday 1 February 2016

Scientists: “Doomsday Clock” reflects grave threat to world

SUDHIN THANAWALA
Associated Press
STANFORD, California (AP)
— Rising tension between
Russia and the U.S., North
Korea’s recent nuclear
test and a lack of aggres-
sive steps to address cli-
mate change are putting
the world under grave
threat, scientists behind a
“Doomsday Clock” that
measures the likelihood of
a global cataclysm said
Tuesday.
The Bulletin of the Atomic
Scientists announced that
the minute hand on the
metaphorical clock re-
mained at three minutes-
to-midnight. The clock re-
flects how vulnerable the
world is to catastrophe
from nuclear weapons,
climate change and new
technologies, with mid-
night symbolizing apoca-
lypse.

“Unless we change the The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists member Lynn Eden, right, and editor-in-chief John Mecklin, second from right, unveil the
way we think, humanity re- “Doomsday Clock,” which measures the likelihood of a global cataclysm, at Stanford University in Stanford, Calif., Tuesday, Jan. 26,
mains in serious danger,” 2016. Also pictured are former U.S. Secretary of State George Shultz, from left, former U.S. Secretary of Defense William Perry, Gov.
said Lawrence Krauss, Jerry Brown, and Jerry Seelig.
chair of the bulletin’s Board
of Sponsors. Associated Press
Krauss said the Iran nuclear
agreement and Paris cli- midnight in 1984, when the ment will make a significant of State George Shultz and The Bulletin of the Atomic
mate accord were good bulletin said talks between difference,” he said. “The former U.S. Secretary of Scientists was founded in
news. But the good news the U.S. and Russia virtually key is whether countries Defense William Perry for a 1945 by University of Chi-
was offset by nuclear stopped. over the next couple of discussion at Stanford Uni- cago scientists who helped
threats, including tension From a climate change years are able to agree on versity after the unveiling of develop the first atomic
between nuclear-armed perspective, if midnight on some important details that the clock. weapons. The clock was
states India and Pakistan, the clock represents the dis- were left out.” created two years later.
and uncertainty that the appearance of humanity, Michael Shermer, publisher Perry raised concerns The decision to move or
Paris accord will lead to three minutes-to-midnight of Skeptic magazine ex- about rhetoric from Russia leave the clock alone is
concrete action to reduce is overly dire, said Michael amining social and scien- about the use of nuclear made by the bulletin’s sci-
greenhouse gas emissions. Oppenheimer, a professor tific controversies, said in weapons and said the ence and security board,
The scientists behind the of geosciences and inter- an email that the Dooms- threat of nuclear disaster which includes physicists
bulletin adjusted the clock national affairs at Princeton day clock is “an exercise in was greater today than and environmental scien-
from five minutes-to-mid- University who is not affili- pessimism and PR with little during the Cold War. Shultz tists from around the world,
night to three minutes-to- ated with the bulletin. connection to the reality of said the U.S. needs to en- in consultation with the bul-
midnight last year. They On the other hand, Op- moral progress made in the gage Russia and China. letin’s Board of Sponsors,
cited climate change, penheimer said if midnight past half century.” Sherm- Brown warned about “tip- which includes more than
modernization of nuclear means humans have emit- er cited reductions in the ping points” in the fight a dozen Nobel laureates.
weapons and outsized nu- ted so much greenhouse number of nuclear weap- against climate change. The closest the clock has
clear weapons arsenals as gas that dangerous cli- ons since the 1980s and the “And around a tipping come to midnight was
“extraordinary and undeni- mate change is inevitable, absence of war between point, we may not be able two minutes away in 1953,
able threats to the contin- then three minutes is a “fair Europe’s great powers to come back to a stable when the Soviet Union test-
ued existence of human- analysis.” since World War II. planet or one we’ll find very ed a hydrogen bomb that
ity.” The clock was previ- “I think the jury is out as to California Gov. Jerry Brown comfortable to live in,” he followed a U.S. hydrogen
ously at three minutes-to- whether the Paris agree- joined former U.S. Secretary said. bomb test.q