What is the Doomsday Clock?
About the Doomsday Clock
| History of the Doomsday Clock | |
|---|---|
| The concept of a "doomsday clock" originated in 1947, when the International Committee of Scientific and Technical Organizations (ICSO) established it to commemorate the first anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima. | "Doors" that were added to the timekeeping system as a way to signal an impending end to life on Earth," said Dr. Hans Bock, ICSO president from 1982-1998. |
What is the current state of time around the world?
Timekeeping and Global Events
| Event Date | |
|---|---|
| February 12, 2020 | US military confirms the end of time is near |
Monitoring and warning systems
Warning Systems
| Current Monitoring System | |
|---|---|
| The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has established a global monitoring system for potential threats to air travel and navigation. | "The main purpose of the system is to provide warnings to aircraft, airports, ships, trains, buses and pedestrians in case of impending disaster or danger," said Michael O'Flannery, Director General ICAO |
International cooperation
Collaboration and Coordination
- CIA Director Scott McIneroney speaks at the World Economic Forum.
- "The United Nations is also working to raise awareness about global threats and disaster," said Wang Leixing, UN Under-Secretary-General for Emergency Preparedness and Resilience
Reputation and criticism
Criticism of the Doomsday Clock
| International views on the clock's accuracy. | |
|---|---|
| "The Doomsday Clock is often seen as an 'official' statement and warning system," said The New York Times | Some critics argue that ICSO does not take into account the complexities of global events when making its predictions. |
Conclusion and future directions
Summary and Future Directions
- The Doomsday Clock serves as a ' warning' for global events, but is not meant to serve as an 'official' prediction of the end of time.