Thursday, January 22, 2015

Doomsday Clock reads 11.57: Atomic scientists move minute hand two minutes forward - and say we are at closest point to disaster in decades




The Doomsday Clock’s minute hand has been moved two minutes closer to midnight as experts warn we are closer than ever to a global catastrophe.

In a live international news conference, the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists (BAS) said that the threat of climate change and nuclear war posed a very serious threat to modern society.

Their symbolic clock is now set at three minutes to midnight, but while they say it is not too late to avert disaster ‘the window for action is closing rapidly’.

Scroll down for full timeline and video



In an announcement today the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists (BAS) has moved the minute hand of the symbolic Doomsday Clock forward by two minutes. It is now at three minutes to midnight, the closest it has been since 1984. The BAS moved the clock due to the threat of nuclear war and climate change

In an announcement today the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists (BAS) has moved the minute hand of the symbolic Doomsday Clock forward by two minutes. It is now at three minutes to midnight, the closest it has been since 1984. The BAS moved the clock due to the threat of nuclear war and climate change

The conference took place at 4pm GMT (11am EST) today.

Key topics discussed included evidence of accelerating climate change and the increasing threat of nuclear war after failed promises from various international governments.



‘The danger is great but our message is not one of hopelessness,’ Kennette Benedict, executive director of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists (BAS), said in the announcement.

She said that there was still time to act, but real steps needed to be taken soon in order to ‘avert catastrophe.’

‘We find conditions to be so threatening that we are moving the hand two minutes closer. It is now three minutes to midnight,’ she continued.

Countries emitting carbon dioxide and other gases are transforming Earth’s climate in a dangerous way, she said, leaving millions vulnerable to rising sea levels, famines and 'killer storms.'

She also cited a failure by governments around the world to reduce their nuclear arsenal, in particular the US and Russia.

In total it is estimated 16,300 nuclear weapons remain in the world - and just 50 to 100 could produce massive casualties and long lasting effects on the atmosphere.
The BAS was founded in 1945 by University of Chicago scientists who had helped develop the first atomic weapons in the Manhattan Project. The physicists later set up the Clock in 1947 after their atomic bombs hit Hiroshima and Nagasaki at the end of World War II (pictured)
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The BAS was founded in 1945 by University of Chicago scientists who had helped develop the first atomic weapons in the Manhattan Project. The physicists later set up the Clock in 1947 after their atomic bombs hit Hiroshima and Nagasaki at the end of World War II (pictured)

Tick tock: Here Kennette Benedict, executive director of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists (BAS), is shown unveiling the New Doomsday Clock during a news conference in 2007. The BAS hosted a live conference to reveal the Science and Security Board's decision to move the clock two minutes closer to midnight
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Tick tock: Here Kennette Benedict, executive director of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists (BAS), is shown unveiling the New Doomsday Clock during a news conference in 2007. The BAS hosted a live conference to reveal the Science and Security Board's decision to move the clock two minutes closer to midnight
Countries emitting carbon dioxide and other gases (stock image shown) are transforming Earth’s climate in a dangerous way, according to the BAS, leaving millions vulnerable to rising sea levels, famines and 'killer storms.' The BAS want to see action taken to cap greenhouse gases to 2°C above pre-industrial levels
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Countries emitting carbon dioxide and other gases (stock image shown) are transforming Earth’s climate in a dangerous way, according to the BAS, leaving millions vulnerable to rising sea levels, famines and 'killer storms.' The BAS want to see action taken to cap greenhouse gases to 2°C above pre-industrial levels

‘Members of the BAS board are today imploring citizens of the world to speak clearly and demand leaders take necessary steps,’ Ms Benedict continued.

The BAS want to see action taken to cap greenhouse gases to 2°C above pre-industrial levels, and reduce spending on nuclear weapons.

‘We are not saying it is too late, but the window for action is closing rapidly,’ she added.

‘The world needs to awaken from its lethargy. Moving the clock hand inspires changes to help push the process along.’  

The BAS was founded in 1945 by University of Chicago scientists who had helped develop the first atomic weapons in the Manhattan Project.

The physicists set up the Doomsday Clock in 1947 after their atomic bombs hit Hiroshima and Nagasaki at the end of World War II.
Their Clock was created to convey threats to humanity and the planet. Midnight represents Doomsday, or when these threats will peak and cause a global catastrophe.
The BAS also cited a failure by governments around the world to reduce their nuclear arsenal, in particular the US and Russia. In total it is estimated 16,300 nuclear weapons remain in the world - and just 50 to 100 could produce massive casualties and long lasting effects on the atmosphere (stock image shown)

The BAS also cited a failure by governments around the world to reduce their nuclear arsenal, in particular the US and Russia. In total it is estimated 16,300 nuclear weapons remain in the world - and just 50 to 100 could produce massive casualties and long lasting effects on the atmosphere (stock image shown)

Timeline with disaster: It was created to convey threats to humanity and the planet, and midnight represents Doomsday, or when these threats will peak and cause a global catastrophe. Click 'The Clock Shifts' on the picture above to see an interactive timeline of the Clock's history
Climate threats: The announcement not only warned of the threat of nuclear weapons, but also climate change as well. This graphic from last year's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report shows observed examples of climate change worldwide

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Climate threats: The announcement not only warned of the threat of nuclear weapons, but also climate change as well. This graphic from last year's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report shows observed examples of climate change worldwide

The decision to move the minute hand of the Doomsday Clock is made by the Bulletin's Board of Directors in consultation with its Board of Sponsors, which includes 18 Nobel Laureates. 

The Clock has become a universally recognised indicator of the world's vulnerability to catastrophe from nuclear weapons, climate change, and emerging technologies in life sciences.

Since it was set up, the hand on the clock has moved 18 times, and each move represents how the scientists view the world's chances of survival in the face of these threats. 
This graphic details key changes and movements of the minute hand on the Doomsday Clock since 1947
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This graphic details key changes and movements of the minute hand on the Doomsday Clock since 1947

THE DOOMSDAY CLOCK: TIMELINE OF HUMANITY'S DANCE WITH DISASTER



  • Soaring global temperatures: Noaa's data revealed that 2014 was the hottest year since records began. This map is made up of provisional data from 2014 up to October. Temperatures across the world averaged 0.8°C (1.4°F) above 20th century averages - making 2014 the warmest year in records dating back 134 years
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    Soaring global temperatures: Noaa's data revealed that 2014 was the hottest year since records began. This map is made up of provisional data from 2014 up to October. Temperatures across the world averaged 0.8°C (1.4°F) above 20th century averages - making 2014 the warmest year in records dating back 134 years
    Terrorist threats: Recent  attacks in France, following the publication of a a caricature of the Prophet Muhammad in Charlie Hebdo (pictured), could feature among the reasons for moving the Clock's minute hand
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    Terrorist threats: Recent attacks in France, following the publication of a a caricature of the Prophet Muhammad in Charlie Hebdo (pictured), could feature among the reasons for moving the Clock's minute hand

    CLIMATE CHANGE POSES A THREAT




    In 2014, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report said there was evidence of accelerating climate change, and criticised the world's efforts to curb greenhouse emissions.

    Global temperatures last year were the highest since records began in 1880, according to US scientists.

    And 14 of the 15 hottest years on record have occurred in the 21st century, something highlighted by President Obama in his recent State of the Union address.

    Temperatures across the world averaged 0.8°C (1.4°F) above 20th century averages - making 2014 the warmest year in records dating back 134 years.

    The Met Office had previously announced that 2014 was the hottest year for the UK in records dating back to 1910.

    Last year, President Obama revealed his country's 30-year plan to modernise its nuclear program.

    The modernisation is expected to cost almost £660 billion ($1 trillion), according to the Centre on Nuclear Security. 

    3 comments:

    Anonymous said...

    The Doom Ass Wipes Are Baaaaaack ! Again You idiots really have nothing More to Write about Really? Get a Life You Doom Morons !

    Unknown said...

    The Liberals have done a very successful job of scaring the hell out of everyone with their Climate change arguments that the sky is falling mentality. The polar ice caps are going to melt and mass floods will occur everywhere. Just like when the ice melts in my cola glass and overflows (not really) Remember when they used to call it Global Warming and then it was discovered that the world climate had actually cooled by a number of degrees over the last 40 years. In fact our man-made Co2 emissions have very little to do with global Co2 amounts. In fact the biggest violators are actually volcanoes. So all the Prius's that you bought and canvass bags you used to prevent Co2 emissions for the at least 15 years has been wiped not by all of these volcanoes but just one. One volcanoes spew more Co2 into the atmosphere within 15 minutes of eruption. Now consider in the last 15 years there have been 19 major volcano eruptions with a VEI of at least 2 and 90% had a VEI of 4 (that is Volcano Explosive index 1-4 kind of like the Fujita scale for tornadoes.) True environmentalist know that the actual cost to the earth to produce the Prius type vehicles is much greater than the amount of Co2 they supposedly save.
    The truth is Mother nature is much more violent than we are and will correct herself when needed. Co2 is actually something that we need to survive. It is actually a core component of O2 or oxygen. Through photosynthesis the trees plants and algae create our oxygen that we breathe by consuming the Co2 and expelling o2. Dont you'all remember that in school??
    So do not buy into to all this Climate Change as it is just another way that the govts. of the world use false science to try and create more laws to control us.

    Anonymous said...

    It says "Climate Change Poses A Threat" IMO nazi a-holes pose a threat. Quit MANIPULATING the climate and you won't have this climate change stuff you are making up to impose taxes on everyone and take down of the United States. We plan to stop you buttholes.
    You are all going straight to hell when your lives are over. You will burn there in flames and stinking Sulfur smell for eternity.