Artificial intelligence was not listed as a chief concern two years ago, the last time the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists moved the clock closer to global catastrophe.

The Doomsday Clock is now set at 89 seconds to midnight, the closest it has ever been to implosion. The proximity to midnight reflects the scale of escalating global threats. The clock is a unique timepiece created 78 years ago by the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists as a symbol to gauge how close humanity

The Doomsday Clock moves to a historic 89 seconds, citing AI and bioengineering risks as major threats to humanity. Explore the implications of this warning

On January 28, the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists updated the Doomsday Clock from 90 to 89 seconds until "midnight," as world-ending threats continue escalating at

The Doomsday Clock, a symbolic measure of humanity's proximity to catastrophic destruction, has been set at 89 seconds to midnight—the closest it has ever been, symbolizing humanity's shortest margin from potential catastrophe since the clock's creation.

The Doomsday Clock now stands at 89 seconds to midnight, the closest to catastrophe in its nearly eight-decade history. Here's a look at how — and why — it's moved.

In a statement outlining the change, the Board highlighted three main reasons for “moving the Doomsday Clock from 90 seconds to 89 seconds to midnight.” These include ongoing nuclear risks, accelerating climate disasters, and emerging biological and technological dangers.

The metaphorical clock measures how close humanity is to self-destruction, because of nuclear disaster, climate change, AI and misinformation.