What Happens When the Doomsday Clock Hits Midnight?

In a world grappling with nuclear tensions, climate crises, and rapid technological advancements, one ominous symbol quietly reminds us of our fragility—the Doomsday Clock. In 2025, the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists reset the clock to 89 seconds before midnight, the closest it’s ever been. But what exactly happens if it hits midnight? Spoiler alert: it's not a celebratory New Year's Eve countdown.

Let’s explore the origins of the clock, what it symbolises, and the pressing threats that have brought us dangerously close to catastrophe.

The Doomsday Clock: A Grim Metaphor

The Doomsday Clock was created in 1947 by the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, with input from experts like Albert Einstein and J. Robert Oppenheimer. It's not a literal clock but rather a symbolic measure of humanity’s proximity to self-destruction.

Midnight represents a global catastrophe, which could result from nuclear war, climate collapse, or other existential threats. Every year, a team of scientists, including Nobel laureates, assess risks and adjust the clock's time accordingly. The question on everyone’s mind is: What happens if it hits midnight?

While the clock doesn’t predict a specific event, hitting midnight would signal that humanity has reached a critical breaking point—likely from events like large-scale war, irreversible climate damage, or a breakdown in global systems. Essentially, it’s humanity’s way of saying, “We’ve really messed up now.”

How Did We Get to 89 Seconds Before Midnight?

The 2025 setting is a wake-up call driven by three major factors: nuclear threats, climate change, and emerging technologies. Let’s dive deeper into each.

1. Nuclear Threats

Nuclear risks are at their highest since the Cold War. The Russia-Ukraine conflict in particular has raised fears of nuclear escalation. With 9 countries possessing nuclear weapons and tensions rising between nations like the United States, China, North Korea, and Iran, the threat of a nuclear miscalculation looms large.

• The world currently holds over 12,500 nuclear warheads. Even a limited nuclear exchange could cause millions of deaths and a “nuclear winter” with catastrophic climate consequences.
• Notably, in 2022 and 2024, Russia issued veiled threats about using nuclear weapons, prompting NATO to bolster its deterrence strategies.

2. Climate Change

Humanity is struggling to address the climate crisis, and the clock reflects this failure. Despite international agreements like the Paris Accord, global carbon emissions hit 37 billion metric tons in 2023—15% higher than in 2015. Rising temperatures have triggered:

• Record heatwaves across Europe, India, and North America.
• Severe flooding displaced millions in countries like Pakistan and Bangladesh.
• Food insecurity caused by droughts impacting crop yields.

With greenhouse gases accumulating, scientists warn we may cross tipping points that lead to irreversible consequences, such as the melting of polar ice sheets and rising sea levels.

3. Emerging Technologies

Advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) and biotechnology offer both promise and peril. AI, for example, can improve healthcare and productivity but also poses risks like autonomous weaponry and mass disinformation campaigns.

In the wrong hands, biotechnologies could be weaponised to create new pandemics. The lack of global regulation around these technologies adds another layer of uncertainty to the future.

What If We Reach Midnight?

If the Doomsday Clock hits midnight, it doesn’t mean the world will end in an instant. Instead, it would symbolise that humanity has failed to avert catastrophic events, leading to:

Nuclear War

A nuclear conflict could decimate entire regions, killing millions and plunging the world into chaos. Survivors would face radiation sickness, infrastructure collapse, and long-term environmental damage.

Climate Catastrophe

Crossing key climate thresholds might lead to extreme weather becoming the new normal. Global food supplies could collapse, and mass migrations might trigger geopolitical instability.

Technological Failures

Mismanaged technology—such as an AI triggering a financial crash or cyber-attacks crippling power grids—could destabilise economies and societies.

Simply put, midnight on the Doomsday Clock would mark the start of a world drastically different from the one we know today—one shaped by fear, survival, and loss.

Can We Turn Back the Clock?

Thankfully, it’s not too late. The Doomsday Clock is not a death sentence but a call to action. Here’s how we can collectively step back from the brink:

1. Strengthening Global Diplomacy

• Nuclear de-escalation through renewed arms control treaties, like the New START agreement, is crucial.
• Increased dialogue among world powers can prevent conflicts from spiraling out of control.

2. Accelerating Climate Solutions

• Countries must fulfill their commitments to net-zero emissions and expand investments in renewable energy.
• Public and private sectors need to collaborate on innovations like carbon capture and climate-resilient agriculture.

3. Regulating Emerging Technologies

• International bodies should develop ethical guidelines to prevent the misuse of AI and biotechnology.
• Transparency in AI research can reduce risks related to misinformation and automated weapons.

A Message of Hope (and Caution)

Yes, 89 seconds to midnight is frightening, but fear can also be a powerful motivator. The clock reminds us that we are in control of our destiny. By addressing existential threats head-on, we can push the hands of the clock backward and build a safer, more sustainable future.

So, next time you hear someone say, “Time is ticking,” remember: it’s not just a phrase—it’s a call to action. Let’s make sure that the clock never strikes midnight.