On January 23, experts updated just how close they think we are to 4catastrophe. The doomsday clock was 5conceived by a group of scientists who worked on the 6atom bomb known as the Bulletin of the atomic scientists. 

In 1947 the symbolic clock was first set at seven minutes to midnight by designer Martyl Langsdorf, representing their fears of 7atomic 8annihilation, the seeds of man's 9oblivion. But fears eased by 1963, with the signing of the Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty and the Bolton reset the clock to twelve minutes to midnight. 

Since then, the clock has been set further and closer to midnight, according to the 10severity of an increasingly 11diverse range of 12existentialthreats determined by scientists and Nobel 13laureates, reaching its furthest in 1991 at a comforting 17 minutes from disaster. 

In 2022, the clock was kept to just 100 seconds to midnight due to issues like nuclear 14armament, climate change and threats to 15democracy. In 2023, scientists stated we were closer than ever to global catastrophe at just 90 seconds to midnight. 

And now, in 2024, experts say we are still adding alarming 90 seconds to midnight, due in part to conflicts around the globe, AI advancement and slow movement on climate change. The doomsday clock is a simple, an 16indicator of the 17peril¡¯s humans create and a plea to find solutions for a better future.