Reuters AlertNet Lite - Scientists prepare to move Doomsday Clock forward

Reuters AlertNet Full site

NEWSDESK

Scientists prepare to move Doomsday Clock forward

12 Jan 2007 20:02:23 GMT
Source: Reuters

WASHINGTON, Jan 12 (Reuters) - The keepers of the "Doomsday Clock" plan to move its hands forward next Wednesday to reflect what they call worsening nuclear and climate threats to the world.

The symbolic clock, maintained by the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists, currently is set at seven minutes to midnight, with midnight marking global catastrophe.

The group did not say in which direction the hands would move. But in a news release previewing an event next Wednesday, they said the change was based on "worsening nuclear, climate threats" to the world.

"The major new step reflects growing concerns about a 'Second Nuclear Age' marked by grave threats, including: nuclear ambitions in Iran and North Korea, unsecured nuclear materials in Russia and elsewhere, the continuing 'launch-ready' status of 2,000 of the 25,000 nuclear weapons held by the U.S. and Russia, escalating terrorism, and new pressure from climate change for expanded civilian nuclear power that could increase proliferation risks," the release reads.

The clock was last pushed forward by two minutes to seven minutes to midnight in 2002 amid concerns about the proliferation of nuclear, biological and other weapons and the threat of terrorism.

When it was created by the magazine's staff in 1947, it was initially set at seven minutes to midnight and has moved 17 times since then.

It was as close as two minutes to midnight in 1953 following U.S. and Soviet hydrogen bomb tests, and as far away as 17 minutes to midnight in 1991 after the superpowers reached agreement on a nuclear arms reductions.

AlertNet news is provided by

Email this article Send comments

Topics

• Technology

MORE >>

Countries

Small country map
© 2004 Europa Technologies Ltd.

Reset map

• Iran profile
· View map

• North Korea profile
· View map

• Russia profile
· View map

MORE >>

NGO latest

• Ninety Organizations Call on Congress to Save $1 Billion in Global AIDS Funding
WV - USA

• MSF issues 'Top Ten' most underreported humanitarian stories of 2006
MSF International

• From the Executive Director's Desk... In the Fight to end Malaria Broken Promises Create Suffering Children
CWS

• New HIV and AIDS Resource Section Launched on ADRA Web Site
ADRA - International

• Islamic Relief and WFP Sign Major Agreement for Cooperation
Islamic Relief - USA

MORE >>

Latest news

• Scientists prepare to move Doomsday Clock forward

• Hill to visit Seoul, Beijing, Tokyo Jan. 19-21

• Indonesian dies as bird flu makes winter return

• US House votes to force Medicare drug negotiations

• US House votes to force Medicare drug negotiations

MORE >>

Last updated:Fri Jan 12 20:04:44 2007