Join us for the 2026 Doomsday Clock Announcement
By John Pope | What's New at the Bulletin | January 5, 2026
Science and Security Board Chair Daniel Holz speaks to the press at the 2025 Doomsday Clock announcement. Credit: Jamie Christiani
On January 27th, the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists will reveal the 2026 Doomsday Clock time. The announcement will occur during a live, in-person news conference at 10:00 a.m. ET (1500 GMT) streamed via the Bulletin‘s YouTube channel. Sign up for email updates to get reminders about the announcement and receive the Bulletin’s twice-weekly newsletter featuring regular coverage of issues that impact the Doomsday Clock setting.
In 2025, the Doomsday Clock was set at 89 seconds to midnight, the closest to midnight ever in the Clock’s 78-year history. The Clock is set by the Bulletin’s Science and Security Board (SASB) which is a select group of globally recognized leaders with a specific focus on nuclear risk, climate change, and disruptive technologies. The SASB provides the Bulletin with objective external perspectives on trends and issues in these fields and connects the organization to outside experts. The decision is made in consultation with the Bulletin‘s Board of Sponsors which includes eight Nobel Laureates.
2026 Announcement Speakers
- Maria Ressa, Cofounder and CEO of Rappler, professor of professional practice at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA), and 2021 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate.
- Alexandra Bell, president and CEO of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists.
- Daniel Holz, PhD, professor at the University of Chicago in the Departments of Physics, Astronomy & Astrophysics, the Enrico Fermi Institute and the Kavli Institute for Cosmological Physics, and SASB chair, Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists.
- Steve Fetter, PhD, professor of public policy and former dean at the University of Maryland, fellow at the American Physical Society (APS), member of the National Academy of Sciences’ (NAS) Committee on International Security and Arms Control (CISAC), and SASB member, Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists.
- Inez Fung, ScD, professor emerita of atmospheric science in the Department of Earth and Planetary Science and the Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management at the University of California, Berkeley, and SASB member, Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists.
- Asha M. George, DrPH, executive director, Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense at the Atlantic Council, and SASB member, Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists.
- Jon B. Wolfsthal, director of global risk at the Federation of American Scientists (FAS), and SASB member, Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists.
For media questions about the Doomsday Clock and the announcement please use our media inquiries form.
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Topics: Doomsday Clock, What’s New at the Bulletin
Hopefully they take more than 1 second off. Last year (2025) they did and that was like – no big deal, 1 second. Need to take 16 off. We are that close…
Yeah with today’s news it’s more like 50 seconds off, the World seem to be able to light up in flames any second
Agree, but I think the problem is that they “can’t afford” to hew off too many seconds at once because the premise of the clock is perceived to be that if it reaches midnight, then it’s Armageddon straight off. Actually, the old “safety net” has ripped apart at the seams, even though it might not just translate into nuclear WW3 the next week.
given the current state of the defacto leader in terms of the “rules based global order”, i do indeed agree with you Bob.
closer than ever.
The message of the single second was good but in truth I think it was performative and they didn’t release a real number this year I’m hoping to see their real thoughts. For fun I’m going to also make a guess, 75 seconds till midnight. We aren’t at a minute yet but after a few years and the popping of the AI bubble I’m afraid we are on course for under a minute unfortunately.
I hope that the clock goes back to 90 seconds to midnight! That would be the dream!
I am the most terrified for the human race than I have been since the early 80s. I think we are closer to global destruction than we have been in over 100yrs.
I’m guessing closer to 60 seconds if not just under.
it might be 70 sec to midnight due to world news, Iran shutting down, usa’s invasion of Venezuela, Ukraine Russia war never ending, Israel still attacking gaza, crisis in Syria, and many thing other.
I mean war with NATO would completely upend western civilization and reset the global order, tens of millions would die
My guess is probably 60-55 seconds due to events like Venezuela, the current Greenland tensions, the conflict in Ukraine and Tensions in the middle east and Asia
It will be closer to midnight because it has to be. I think last years 1 second movement was being very cautious not to cause global panic. I don’t really think they have a choice but to move it at least 10 seconds minimum. Remember Ai has a part to play in their conclusions.
As a non – religious, engineer with a profound belief in science for deeper understanding and good for our world, I think the last minute is ticking away from us, driven by manic politics largely ignoring what we know already. … but I still live in hope.
We all share this small globe. Hope America wakes up! Policies have to be reversed and ethnic cleansing must stop.
Belief in science is the only way forward.
60 Seconds
Its most likely gonna be 60 seconds or less to midnight
24 seconds to midnight or even 14 seconds to midnight.
idk my guess is probably 80 seconds to midnight bu I like it more when it’s 88.5 or 89 or 90 idk but we’ll see in a while
My Guess for 2026 is close to 60 seconds if not a bit less. Obvious reasons would be a certain leader disrupting peace everywhere with threats and military action. Another would be a very huge uptick in AI, it seems the past 12 months it’s just flooded our everyday lives. Also the environment is about to take a huge hit with all the protections being rolled back and green light for drilling. So yeah, 2026 should put us close to midnight.
I think it would be ether 10 seconds or 0 seconds, due to what just happened.
As a former academic and skeptically inclined person, I suspect the Doomsday Clock is a beat up without scientific merit. We are living in a potentially very dangerous world but I doubt one can put a number on it.
Me and my wife believe it’s going to be much closer to midnight, and honestly I wouldn’t blame them. With the world is going, we are one button press from the end.
Best case scenario i’m predicting 78. Worst case? 62 seconds.
My theory is it’s going go be ten seconds to midnight on the dot. Think about it, no one at a new years party pays attention until the final 10 second countdown. It is going to symbolize we have reached the final tipping point in humanity that will decide if we can use our knowledge to do better instead of continue on our path to the end. As much as it makes my stomach turn it is the perfect symbolism…
This year should be at least 70 seconds before midnight, if not even 60
There has got to be a huge cutt, considering the dark hearts of so many on this planet today.
People are losing their religion, their peace, their happiness, their love. People are losing hope. So many carry hearts full of hate and negativity.
The world is in a very sad state.
Só now with the conflict in Iran? What time are we at? I’m thinking more like a 10 second to midnight right now!