The Bulletin of Atomic Scientists believe The End is nearer than ever. And they’re pointing toward COVID-19 as the primary reason humanity remains frighteningly close to global destruction.
The “Doomsday Clock,” established in 1947, was initially set at 11:53pm with the stroke of midnight marking the symbolic end of time. That seven minutes has been whittled down to seconds: one hundred seconds to be precise.
The group, which is made up of world leaders and Nobel Laureates, says “The pandemic revealed just how unprepared and unwilling countries and the international system are to handle global emergencies properly.” The scientists also listed concerns about climate change and nuclear warfare that are often magnified by disinformation spread via the internet. TikTok, indeed.
If you happen to be wondering, yes the Doomsday Clock can run backwards at times. In 1991 after President George H.W. Bush and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev ordered reductions in nuclear arms in each country, the clock was set at 17 minutes to midnight which is the furthest it’s been from the apocalypse