'Doomsday Clock' pushed back a Minute

Scientists pushed back the hands on the symbolic Doomsday Clock by one minute citing hopeful developments in nuclear weapons and climate change.

The symbolic clock that shows how close mankind is to self-anihilation was moved back to six minutes before midnight from five minutes on Thursday.

The Bulletin of Atomic Scientists, which maintains the clock and puts an illustration of it on its cover, attributed the move to efforts by world leaders to reduce their countries' nuclear arsenals and collaborate on climate stabilization.

The group, which includes 19 Nobel laureates, said a key to the "new era of cooperation is a change in the U.S. government's orientation toward international affairs brought about in part by the election of (U.S. President Barack) Obama."

Nuclear physicist Pervez Hoodbhoy at news conference held at the National Academy of Sciences overlooking the World Trade Center site, said there had been "a shift in world opinion" recognizing that nuclear weapons are "no longer useful to fight wars and are not effective as deterrence."

BAS board member Lowell Sachnoff added, "Global warming is more of a threat than nuclear war."

When the clock was created in 1947, it was set at 7 minutes to midnight. It has been adjusted only 18 times before Thursday' move. The last was in 2007, when the BAS moved it forward by two minutes citing North Korea's test of a nuclear weapon, Iran's nuclear ambitions and a renewed U.S. emphasis the military utility of nuclear weapons. [source - Rueters]

This is the first time the group of scientists moved the clock back by just one minute, signaling a positive change, but still a small one.[source]

Lawrence Krauss, co-chair of Bulletin of the Atomic Scientist, Stephen Schneider of BAS Science and Security Board and Jayantha Dhanapala of BAS Board of Sponsors hold a press conference announcing the adjustment by one minute back of the "Doomsday Clock" on January 14, 2010 in New York City.

We’re looking at perspectives from New Tang Dynasty Television, NPR, True/Slant, The Washington Post, and ABC.

Nuclear warfare, climate change, biotechnology: choose your poison. The group in charge of maintaining the doomsday clock, which includes 19 Nobel laureates, says these factors are most likely to lead to the world's annihilation. New Tang Dynasty TV reports that the U.S. played a role in changing the clock, both in the past and this time.

“A key to the positive alteration is the U.S. governments’ orientation toward international affairs, largely spearheaded by President Barack Obama. The last reset was in 2007 when the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists moved it forward by two minutes citing North Korea’s test of a nuclear weapon, Iran’s nuclear ambitions and a renewed U.S. emphasis on the military utility of nuclear weapons.”

NPR reports that climate change efforts also influenced the scientists, but the group doesn’t want the clock change to give anyone the impression that we’re in the clear just yet.

“The one minute really means the clock's ticking, and if we don't act on this at this really almost unique time, this unique opportunity to do something, then it's quite likely we're going to move much closer to midnight.”

Colin Horgan, a contributor for True/Slant, asks why we rely on the clock metaphor at all. He describes the paranoia the scientists could create if they move the clock toward midnight rather than away.

“You can imagine the response, especially on the Internet, a medium that, to put it mildly, is so obsessed with the destruction of the entire human race that if it were to have a Doomsday Clock of its own, it would be permanently set somewhere between 11:59:30 and 11:59:59.”

The number of nuclear weapons in the world has decreased by 4,000 over the past three years. The Washington Post reports that despite the progress, some still see imminent doom in our future.

“Hollywood still churns out apocalyptic movies ('The Road,' '2012' and 'Knowing' premiered over the past 10 months), and 50 million Americans still believe the world will end in their lifetimes, according to Nicholas Guyatt, author of 'Have a Nice Doomsday: Why Millions of Americans are Looking Forward to the End of the World.'”

Jimmy Kimmel reminds us that even if we’re just 6 minutes away from total destruction, there’s always time for a laugh.

“I guess we should be glad it’s not moving forward….The Bulletin of Atomic Scientists moved the infamous doomsday clock back. The clock measures the liklihood that civilization will be toppled by a human-caused catastrophe – we’re now six minutes to midnight….yeaah boy. That’s who I want wearing it…” 

So how close do you think we are to destroying the planet? And do you agree with the scientists decision to move the clock back a minute?

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