Doomsday Clock hits 85 seconds to midnight, the closest to catastrophe in history

WASHINGTON — Atomic scientists have set the Doomsday Clock for 2026 at 85 seconds to midnight, the closest the symbolic timepiece has ever been to a global catastrophe.

The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, an organization founded by Albert Einstein and other researchers, issued the warning as its most pessimistic assessment of humanity’s future since the clock’s inception in 1947. The group cited a breakdown in international cooperation regarding nuclear weapons, climate change, and biotechnology.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) was also identified as a significant emerging threat to global stability.

The assessment highlighted escalating conflicts throughout 2025, including Russia’s war in Ukraine and clashes between India and Pakistan. The report also pointed to strikes by the United States and Israel against Iran as factors driving the clock forward.

Scientists characterized the global response to the climate emergency as "entirely insufficient." The report specifically criticized the administration of President Donald Trump, alleging it has "declared war on renewable energy and sensible climate policies."

Despite the dire outlook, the report noted that renewable energy saw record growth in 2024. When combined with nuclear power, renewables accounted for more than 40% of global electricity production for the first time.

The Doomsday Clock’s historic proximity to midnight serves as more than a mere symbolic warning; it represents a profound systemic failure of the stability mechanisms established in the post-Cold War era. At the heart of this breakdown is the resurgence of zero-sum great power competition. The geopolitical landscape is increasingly defined by the aggressive, nationalist postures of the United States, China, and Russia, marking a departure from cooperative diplomacy toward open confrontation.

This collapse of international trust and the fraying of multilateral agreements have created a volatile security environment where threats are no longer siloed. Climate change has emerged as a primary "threat multiplier," capable of igniting resource-driven conflicts that carry the latent risk of escalating into nuclear standoffs. For middle powers like Vietnam, these risks are compounded. Hanoi sits at a precarious intersection of environmental and security crises, facing both the existential threat of rising sea levels and the heightened tensions of territorial disputes in the South China Sea.

Furthermore, the sharp criticisms leveled against U.S. climate policy under the Trump administration highlight how domestic political volatility in a superpower can directly compromise global security. This underscores a significant paradox: while market forces and technological innovation are rapidly advancing clean energy solutions, political willpower at the executive level remains either stagnant or regressive. This disconnect between private-sector progress and public-sector inertia remains one of the most significant risks pushing the global order toward a breaking point.

Global instability and the existential threats symbolized by the Doomsday Clock weigh heavily on our collective consciousness. For the Vietnamese-American community, these aren't just abstract headlines; they represent a deep-seated concern for the future of our loved ones. From the bustling hubs of Little Saigon to the families running nail salons and phở restaurants across the country, the connection to our homeland remains a vital part of our daily lives. We worry for the safety of relatives in Vietnam—a nation uniquely vulnerable to the devastating impacts of climate change and shifting regional geopolitical tensions. This precarious reality is felt in everything we do, whether we are sending remittances to support family or navigating the complexities of F2B, H-1B, or EB-5 visas to bring our people to safety in an increasingly uncertain world.