The Doomsday Clock is a symbolic clock that countdowns to a possible global catastrophe such as nuclear war or extreme climate change. It is a visual representation of how close humanity is from imploding on its own extinction. It hangs in the Bulletin's office in the University of Chicago and has been maintained there since 1947. There has been no change in the clock since 2012 when it was announced by the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists that humanity is "five minutes to midnight." However just this month, the committee announced yet another movement for the symbolic clock.
Last January 19, 2015, the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists announced that mankind is currently a mere metaphoric three minutes away from impending doom. The scientists explain that humanity is threatened by several factors including climate change and global warming, global nuclear weaponization and out sized nuclear weapons arsenal. Unfortunately, leaders are failing to safeguard humanity with these possibly destructive elements.
"The clock ticks now at just three minutes to midnight because international leaders are failing to perform their most important duty-ensuring and preserving the health and vitality of human civilization" read a part of the post.
The team of scientist' behind the doomsday clock has since suggested possible solutions to the earlier mentioned threats. According to them, there is a need to take action to regulate the use of greenhouse gases and spending on nuclear weapons. They were however quick to explain that technology is not the enemy. It is a matter of managing how humanity utilizes it.
"We can manage our technology, or become victims of it. The choice is ours, and the Clock is ticking. The probability of global catastrophe is very high, and the actions needed to reduce the risks of disaster must be taken very soon" furthered the press release.
