In a chilling announcement today, January 27, 2026, the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists moved the hands of the Doomsday Clock forward to 85 seconds to midnight. This marks the most dangerous setting in the Clock’s 79-year history, surpassing the previous record of 89 seconds set in 2025.
The message from the board of scientists and Nobel laureates is clear: humanity is in a state of “unprecedented peril.”
Why Did the Doomsday Clock Move in 2026?
The decision to move the clock four seconds closer to midnight wasn’t based on a single event, but a “convergence of existential threats” that have reached a breaking point.
1. The Death of Nuclear Diplomacy
The primary driver for the 2026 shift is the expiration of the New START Treaty on February 5. With no replacement in sight, the U.S. and Russia are entering a “runaway arms race” for the first time in over half a century.
- Nuclear Flashpoints: Ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, along with rising tensions over Taiwan, have made the use of tactical nuclear weapons a statistical probability rather than a distant fear.
2. The “Information Armageddon” (AI & Disinformation)
For the first time, Generative AI played a central role in the Clock’s advancement. The Bulletin highlighted:
- Military AI: The unregulated integration of AI into nuclear command-and-control systems.
- Deepfakes: The erosion of truth, which prevents global leaders from reaching the consensus needed to solve existential crises.
3. Climate Failure and Record Heat
2025 was officially recorded as the hottest year in human history. The Bulletin cited a “global failure in leadership,” noting that carbon emissions continue to rise despite catastrophic droughts and floods.
The Doomsday Clock: A History of Seconds
Since 2020, the Bulletin has moved from counting in minutes to counting in seconds, reflecting the speed at which global stability is deteriorating.
| Year | Time to Midnight | Primary Reason for Setting |
| 1991 | 17 Minutes | End of the Cold War (Safest Point) |
| 2023 | 90 Seconds | Russia-Ukraine War onset |
| 2025 | 89 Seconds | AI threats and climate tipping points |
| 2026 | 85 Seconds | Expiration of New START & AI in military |
Is it Too Late? How to Turn Back the Clock
The Doomsday Clock is intended as a call to action, not a death sentence. To move the hands back, the Bulletin outlines three critical steps:
- Resume Nuclear Dialogue: Immediate negotiations between the U.S., Russia, and China to establish new arms control guardrails.
- AI Regulation: International treaties banning the use of AI in autonomous nuclear launch decisions.
- Decarbonization: Aggressive, legally binding shifts away from fossil fuel infrastructure.