Doomsday Clock

The Bulletin names T-shirt design contest winner

By , July 7, 2021

The Bulletin is proud to announce Nathan Doyle as the winner of its Doomsday Clock T-shirt design contest hosted by Threadless.com.

“Time is Running Out” was chosen from 353 international submissions. Prints and T-shirts of his design can be purchased from the Bulletin’s Threadless store.

“Thank you to the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists and Threadless for running this competition and encouraging artists around the world,” said Doyle, a naval architect in Adelaide, Australia. “I am extremely grateful that this design was selected from such a wide variety of thought-provoking designs to help commemorate the 75th Anniversary of the Doomsday Clock.”

Doyle said his image attempts to capture the “severity of man-made threats to our existence and the ray of color aims to draw the viewer’s attention, expressing hope.”

The T-shirt design competition encouraged artists from around the world to either:

1. Reimagine or redesign the Doomsday Clock
2. Tell people how to Turn Back the Clock
3. Incorporate the Bulletin’s three areas of focus: Nuclear Risk, Climate Change & Disruptive Technology

Doyle won $1,000 for his design, plus a $250 Threadless gift certificate. He will also be invited to the Bulletin’s virtual annual dinner and his design will be incorporated into an upcoming book about the 75th anniversary of the Doomsday Clock.

The Doomsday Clock has been called “the most powerful piece of information design of the 20th century,” by designer Michael Bierut.

The Clock, first conceived by Chicago-based painter Martyl in 1947, has served as a metaphor for man’s proximity to self-destruction as the minute hand creeps closer to midnight. The minute hand has moved toward and away from midnight over the years, as set by the Science and Security Board of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists.

The iconic Doomsday Clock has been a cultural touchstone for years, not only in the political and scientific fields, but also in pop culture. References to the Doomsday Clock appear in DC Comics’ The Watchmen, an episode of Doctor Who—even in songs by The Clash, Iron Maiden, The Who, Hozier, Bright Eyes, and Smashing Pumpkins.

For more information about the Doomsday Clock, visit our official page for the current time.

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  • I hope the t-shirt is available with the image on the back. That makes it a lot less confrontational. People are also more likely to contemplate it when not face-to-face. The front could have the small Bulletin logo.