The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, a nonprofit organization, has moved the Doomsday Clock to 100 seconds to midnight, midnight being Doomsday.
The Clock represents the dangers and risks of catastrophe currently facing our planet, and multiple factors have led to this current state of affairs.
One is that the risk of nuclear war is still very much present, and frankly, the odds of nuclear weapons being used in some fashion have gone up as more nations develop them. Terror organizations are trying to get their hands on a nuclear device and would use it if they got one. Imagine the ramifications of New York City being consumed in a nuclear conflagration.
Another scenario is a confrontation between nuclear powers escalating and getting out of hand. The US vs Russia or China. India vs Pakistan. With the Nuclear Deal in tatters, Iran is more likely to develop nuclear weapons. If that happens, Saudi Arabia would do the same.
A miscommunication or accident between nuclear powers could result in a nuclear exchange. This has nearly happened already. One example occurred on January 25, 1995. On that day, a group of scientists launched a research rocket from Norway. They had warned multiple countries including all the nuclear powers. Unfortunately, someone forgot to tell Russian Radar Technicians, who then thought it could be a nuclear first strike from the United States. The nuclear command suitcase was brought to Russian President Boris Yeltsin who for several tense minutes considered whether to retaliate with nuclear weapons or wait figuring it was a mistake. Fortunately for history, he chose the latter.
Human Caused Climate Change is another reason for the Clock change. Climate Change is here and the planet is already suffering from its effects. Worsening wildfires, droughts, extreme weather, melting polar icecaps raising ocean levels, the list goes on. Add to that the fact that political leaders such as a Donald Trump and others are still denying Climate Change and are taking actions that worsen the situation.
A third factor is cyber/information warfare. This trend will continue and spread. Cyber attacks could cripple air traffic control systems, power infrastructure, and more. False information planted in social media also creates confusion and can worsen societal conflicts. A cyber attack upon defense systems could conceivably lead to an accidental nuclear exchange.
We are living in dangerous, complex times.
This is why the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists moved the Doomsday Clock closer to midnight than it has ever been since the Clock’s creation in 1947. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/01/23/doomsday-clock-well-find-out-thursday-how-close-we-midnight/4541997002/
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