News doomsday

16 favourite reactions to the news that the Doomsday clock is the closest it’s ever been to midnight

The Doomsday Clock is a metaphor for how close the world is to a man-made disaster of apocalyptic proportions. The time on the clock is calculated and announced each year by the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, with the amount of time from midnight indicating the metaphorical distance from annihilation.

It began at seven minutes away, at its inception in 1947, moving back and forth as world events have unfolded.

Screenshot of the 1947 page from the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists
Via

In 2023, with the war in Ukraine, the Bulletin moved the clock to 90 seconds from midnight, and that’s where it’s stayed until now.

Today, the Bulletin’s Science and Security Board sets the #DoomsdayClock at 89 seconds to midnight.

"The world depends on immediate action."

Read the full statement below.

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— Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists (@thebulletin.org) January 28, 2025 at 3:29 PM

Here’s a snippet of the statement.

“In setting the Clock one second closer to midnight, we send a stark signal: Because the world is already perilously close to the precipice, a move of even a single second should be taken as an indication of extreme danger and an unmistakable warning that every second of delay in reversing course increases the probability of global disaster.”

We bet they’re fun at parties.

1.

I think the Doomsday Clock should have a cuckoo in it. It'd cheer us all up when it reaches midnight.

— Graeme LF (@graemelf.bsky.social) January 28, 2025 at 10:44 PM

2.

BREAKING: The Doomsday Clock has been set to Private Frazer

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— Alistair Coleman (@alistaircoleman.bsky.social) January 28, 2025 at 3:32 PM

3.

Does it go back for the winter, or what?

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— John Rain (@johnrain.co.uk) January 28, 2025 at 4:09 PM

4.

Just simply push it the fuck over and have done x

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— BUCKERS (@deathofbuckley.bsky.social) January 28, 2025 at 4:40 PM

5.

I just felt super validated for my emergency passport renewal so it would get done by the 20th

I thought that was just doomsday prepping, but doomsday is here

— Sarah Rose (@thesarahrose.bsky.social) January 28, 2025 at 4:32 AM

6.

Trump ‍♂️ thebulletin.org/doomsday-clo…

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— Anthony Davis (@theanthonydavis.bsky.social) January 29, 2025 at 3:59 AM

7.

The Doomsday Cock.

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— Matt Owen (@mjowen174.bsky.social) January 28, 2025 at 6:48 PM

8.

Such an unrewarding job — even if you’re right, you won’t be able to rub it into everyone’s face

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— Mira of Kyiv (@reshetz.bsky.social) January 28, 2025 at 9:57 PM

9.

The doomsday clock now reads 1 am

— Hannibal Chau (@hannibal-chau.bsky.social) January 29, 2025 at 2:08 AM

10.

Just a second? …. after the recent fucking shitshow, I'd have thought we were on the brink like the Italian Job bus….

— Paul Giblin (@paulfromhull.bsky.social) January 28, 2025 at 3:49 PM

11.

The doomsday clock people really need to read the room

— The Bruegelist (limited 70mm engagement) (@alopex-ii.bsky.social) January 29, 2025 at 2:15 AM

12.

SCIENTISTS: there are only 89 seconds remaining on the doomsday clock

ME: [73 seconds still remaining on my microwave hotdog] c'mon… c'monnn

— Steven (with a PH) (@sjksalisbury.bsky.social) January 28, 2025 at 7:24 PM

13.

spending my precious 89 seconds left on earth measuring how much time we have left

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— transgender marx (@gendermarxism.bsky.social) January 28, 2025 at 6:39 PM

14.

The Spookometer has reached 4 Draculas, which is the scariest rating in its history.

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— Friendly Neighborhood Biter-Man (@brobelow.bsky.social) January 28, 2025 at 11:16 PM

15.

The hell is “89 seconds?” This is like when someone tells me how old their toddler is in weeks

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— SwampLizard (@swamplizard.bsky.social) January 29, 2025 at 1:51 PM

16.

Arguably the best things about armageddon would be the destruction of the nonsense Doomsday Clock.

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— Luke Tryl (@luketryl.bsky.social) January 29, 2025 at 9:05 AM

And finally …

I love how the Doomsday Clock was already SO CLOSE TO MIDNIGHT that they’re now basically playing Jenga with the second hand

— KM Eggleston (@kevineggleston.bsky.social) January 28, 2025 at 6:58 PM

READ MORE

New Doomsday Clock time just dropped – 17 favourite tweets

Source Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists Image Screengrab