'Doomsday Clock' remains 100 seconds before midnight

Jan. 20 (UPI) -- The "Doomsday Clock," a symbolic reminder of the global dangers to mankind, remained at 100 seconds to midnight on Thursday, bringing attention to the threats of climate change, nuclear weapons and other "disruptive technologies," the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists said.

The Doomsday Clock, created in 1947, recognized its 75th anniversary by saying the emergence of misinformation accelerated the move toward worldwide catastrophe. The bulletin said it has introduced "a corrupted information ecosphere that undermines rational decision-making."

The Doomsday Clock's time is set by the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists' Science and Security Board with the support of the Bulletin's Board of Sponsors, which includes 11 Nobel laureates. It marks the second straight year it's been set at 100 seconds before midnight.

"In view of this mixed threat environment -- with some positive developments counteracted by worrisome and accelerating negative trends -- the members of the Science and Security Board find the world to be no safer than it was last year at this time and therefore decide to set the Doomsday Clock once again at 100 seconds to midnight," the clock's organizers said.

The clock's organizers said some of the things that could unwind the clock would be the United States and Russia working together to set more aggressive limits on nuclear weapons, decarbonization of countries around the world, a stronger effort among countries to respond to pandemics and other health threats and having Russia rejoin the Russia-NATO Council to reduce political tensions.

"The Doomsday Clock continues to hover dangerously, reminding us about how much work is needed to be done to ensure a safer and healthier planet," Rachel Bronson, president and CEO of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, said in a statement. "We must continue to push the hands of the clock away from midnight."