Humanity now stands closer to global catastrophe than at any point in modern history, according to the latest reset of the Doomsday Clock, a symbolic measure maintained by the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. The clock was moved to 85 seconds to midnight on Jan. 27, 2026, the closest setting since the clock’s creation in 1947, according to USA Today.
The Bulletin’s Science and Security Board cited what it called a global “failure of leadership” as the primary reason for the change. Alexandra Bell, president and CEO of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, said the message behind the new setting is unmistakable. “Catastrophic risks are on the rise, cooperation is on the decline, and we are running out of time,” she said, according to USA Today.
The Doomsday Clock does not predict the end of the world, but rather reflects scientists’ assessments of human-made threats, including nuclear conflict, climate change, artificial intelligence, and biological dangers. Each year, the Bulletin evaluates whether humanity is safer or more at risk than the year before, and how current dangers compare to the entire history of the clock.
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Dan Holz, chair of the Bulletin’s science and security board, explained that the clock was moved forward because “arms control treaties are in tatters, and there are active conflicts involving nuclear powers,” adding that misinformation and disinformation now act as a “threat multiplier,” according to USA Today.
The Bulletin also warned that growing nationalism and global fragmentation have weakened the cooperation necessary to address existential risks. Holz said the rise of nationalistic autocracies has intensified an “us versus them” mentality that leaves humanity more vulnerable to disaster, according to the outlet.
For Catholics, these warnings echo longstanding Church teachings on the dignity of human life, moral responsibility, and the obligation of leaders to pursue peace. The Catechism of the Catholic Church condemns indiscriminate weapons of mass destruction and calls nations to work toward disarmament and authentic international cooperation.
The Bulletin emphasized that catastrophe is not inevitable. Among the steps it proposed were renewed dialogue between nuclear powers, responsible regulation of artificial intelligence and biotechnology, and serious action to address climate change. “Change is both necessary and possible,” Bell said, “but the global community must demand swift action from their leaders,” according to USA Today.
As the Doomsday Clock reaches its most alarming setting yet, Catholic leaders and faithful alike are confronted with a sobering reminder: technological power without moral clarity threatens the future of all humanity. The clock’s message, scientists say, is not despair—but an urgent call to conversion, responsibility, and peace.
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