6 Minutes to Midnight Posted by Kelsey Hartigan

The Bulletin of Atomic Scientists announced today that it had moved its Doomsday Clock from 5 minutes to 6 minutes before midnight.  The Doomsday Clock measures the progress being made to reduce the dangers posed by nuclear weapons, climate change, and biotechnology—where midnight represents the total destruction of humankind, the end of civilization…a nuclear Armageddon.

It might sound a bit overwhelming but the Doomsday Clock has a long history, dating back to 1947. The same scientists, engineers, and other experts who had created the atomic bomb as part of the Manhattan Project helped create the Doomsday Clock.  The minute hand has been moved a total of 18 times and was closest to midnight in 1953 when the United States and Soviet Union had each tested hydrogen bombs. The minute hand was just two minutes to midnight. 

Today’s decision to move the clock one minute further away from midnight represents both optimism and a realization that graves threats persist and immediate action is necessary.  In a statement from the board, the members explained:

It is 6 minutes to midnight. We are poised to bend the arc of history toward a world free of nuclear weapons. For the first time since atomic bombs were dropped in 1945, leaders of nuclear weapons states are cooperating to vastly reduce their arsenals and secure all nuclear bomb-making material…

…By shifting the hand back from midnight by only one additional minute, we emphasize how much needs to be accomplished, while at the same time recognizing signs of collaboration among the United States, Russia, the European Union, India, China, Brazil, and others on nuclear security and on climate stabilization.

The move away from midnight makes sense in light of President Obama’s efforts to work towards a world free of nuclear weapons.  That only sixty seconds were shaved off is somewhat disappointing though it does represent a challenge to the administration, Congress, and the Pentagon to turn back the Clock even more in 2011. The President’s nonproliferation agenda is ambitious, but if partisan politics can be put aside officials will finally be able to focus on reducing the nuclear threat.

Chop. Chop.  In the words of the Bulletin’s Board…”The Clock is ticking.”

Comments

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Hi,
Really it shows now Mr obama is thinking for citizens.Well done hope he will put his best effort in near future also....

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