The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists maintains its symbolic Clock of the Final Judgment this 2019 at two minutes from midnight, in its annual evaluation of how close the world of the “Apocalypse” is.
The scientists said that the decision to maintain the scenario represents a “new abnormality”, with the level of risk of an extremely high nuclear catastrophe, just as it was a year ago.
The group noted that the clock had only been so close to midnight earlier in 1953, when the United States and the Soviet Union tested hydrogen bombs, according to a statement.
They also mentioned concerns about global warming, a factor that has been part of their evaluation since 2007.
Regarding why it was decided that it is 23:58, the experts specified that “humanity now faces two simultaneous existential threats, any of which would be cause for extreme concern and immediate attention”.
“These major threats, nuclear weapons and climate change, were aggravated last year by the increasing use of information warfare to undermine democracy throughout the world, increasing the risk of these and other threats and putting the future of civilization in extraordinary danger,“ they said.
For that reason, they insisted that civilization should not relax. “There is nothing normal in the complex and terrifying reality that we have just described.”
In addition, this year the group enlisted former California Governor Jerry Brown, who urged politicians to listen to scientists, especially regarding climate change.
“We are almost like travelers on the Titanic who do not see the iceberg later on while they enjoy food and music,” he concluded.