The Doomsday Clock Is Reset: Closest To Midnight Since The 1950s (npr.org)

The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists has taken the unprecedented step of moving the Doomsday Clock ahead 30 seconds, taking the world to two-and-a-half-minute to midnight. The scientists said Thursday that several factors weighed heavily in their decision, particularly climate change denial by people in power -- they cited U.S. President Donald Trump -- and talk about more nuclear weapons. From a report on NPR: The setting is the closest the clock has come to midnight since 1953, when scientists moved it to two minutes from midnight after seeing both the U.S. and the Soviet Union test hydrogen bombs. It remained at that mark until 1960. "Make no mistake, this has been a difficult year," Rachel Bronson, executive director and publisher of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, said as the new setting was announced Thursday.

Comments

Re:Meaningless

[Captain Splendid]

Those of us that grew up under the constant pressure of instant annihilation from nuclear attack just don't get worked up over climate change that much.

Sez you. I'd much rather have gone out in the 80s with a 45 minute warning and instant annihilation than deal with the decades of increasing shit that global warming's gonna deliver.

For those who still really don't get it: Imagine the Syria refugee crisis, only repeat it every few years with larger and larger numbers. No thanks.