SydneySchulze

85 seconds until disaster strikes. For its annual update, on Jan. 25, the Doomsday Clock struck 85 seconds to midnight, the closest it has ever been. 

The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists’ Science and Security Board created the Doomsday Clock in 1947, because of the introduction of nuclear weapons. It is designed as a symbol for the countdown to the end of the world. The goal is to warn the public about dangerous man-made technology. This most recent time change reflects the current state of the world. 

The scientists base the clock’s time on nuclear technology, climate science and, most recently, artificial intelligence. According to the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, the doomsday clock is “a metaphor, a reminder of the perils we must address if we are to survive on the planet.” Although it is not something to take lightly, it is important to note that the Science and Security Board is calling for national agreements to work towards change. The weight falls mostly on the world leaders, not everyday citizens. 

Creighton Professor Dr. Daniel DiLeo works in the Justice and Peace Program, specializing in Catholic social teachings and climate change. The Doomsday Clock encapsulates all of his teaching, and the new update adds more urgency. “It’s a way to bring awareness to how many challenges really threaten our lives,”  DiLeo said.

The threats listed by the Science and Security Board are broad, but according to DiLeo, “the causes are driven by human activities, but they’re driven primarily by the activities of affluent, wealthy individuals and nations… And yet, in terms of consequences, it’s the poor and marginalized communities that bear the brunt of the effects.” Even though the Doomsday Clock addresses a wide range of issues, small actions can create positive change.

John Mecklin is an editor for the Science and Security Board’s Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. He was responsible for publishing the statement of the Board released on Jan. 27. In the statement Mecklin explained that the threat of nuclear war has not decreased at all since the last Doomsday update because “countries with nuclear weapons failed to talk about strategic stability or arms control.”

World leaders did not heed the warning in 2025; in fact, according to Mecklin, “The Trump administration has essentially declared war on renewable energy and sensible climate policies, relentlessly gutting national efforts to combat climate change.”

Regarding AI, “The United States has revoked a previous executive order on AI safety, reflecting a dangerous prioritization of innovation over safety.” All of these issues fall on the world’s leaders; however, everyday citizens are not without blame. 

“The Doomsday Clock is almost directly related to us because we are the biggest factors in climate change and environmental degradation,” sophomore Kelsey Rudloff said.

She is an active member of the Sustainability Board. With the pressing urgency of climate change, Rudloff is working hard to introduce new sustainable measures at Marian. “I help with the bins every single lunch, and I come up with new ideas to bring up at club meetings,” Rudloff said. 

A lot of the issues addressed by the Doomsday Clock seem far away. It can be easy to feel helpless or become completely avoidant. “Sometimes that tends to be a kind of political apathy, that there’s just not really a sense of urgency or an engagement, and it worries me because social justice is at the heart of Catholic Action,” DiLeo said. “One way of trying to cultivate hope is to identify agency and to identify ways to leverage the power you have to try and change the system as best you can.” 

Rudloff agrees and said that the key to hope is action. “It’s kind of like a long to-do list for Canvas. It’s not just going to go away magically. You have to do something to start up and get it done,” Rudloff said.

An easy way to contribute to positive change is by changing your internet use. “Mr. [Nick] Miller, our club moderator, found this website, Ecosia. Each time you use it, it plants a tree,” Rudloff said. Ecosia can be downloaded and works just like any other browser. The difference is that for every 45 searches, one tree is planted and will remove about 110 pounds of Carbon Dioxide over its lifetime, which is equivalent to a 122-mile car ride.

No matter where you stand on it, the Doomsday Clock forces people to face the undeniable: change is necessary. “It’s certainly a political issue and a technological issue, but ultimately, it’s a moral issue,” DiLeo said.