'Doomsday Clock' moved forward

[Jordanv78]

I thought that I would post this article. I thought that it was very interesting indeed. What are your guys thoughts one this?

LONDON, England

(AP) -- The world has nudged closer to a nuclear apocalypse and environmental disaster, a trans-Atlantic group of prominent scientists warned Wednesday, pushing the hand of its symbolic Doomsday Clock two minutes closer to midnight.
It was the fourth time since the end of the Cold War that the clock has ticked forward, this time from 11:53 to 11:55, amid fears over what the scientists are describing as "a second nuclear age" prompted largely by atomic standoffs with Iran and North Korea.
But the organization added that the "dangers posed by climate change are nearly as dire as those posed by nuclear weapons." (Watch as the hands of time are moved closer to global disaster )
The Chicago-based Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, founded in 1945 as a newsletter distributed among nuclear physicists concerned by the possibility of nuclear war, has since grown into an organization focused more generally on manmade threats to the survival of human civilization.
"As scientists, we understand the dangers of nuclear weapons and their devastating effects, and we are learning how human activities and technologies are affecting climate systems in ways that may forever change life on Earth," said Stephen Hawking, the renowned cosmologist and mathematician.
"As citizens of the world, we have a duty to alert the public to the unnecessary risks that we live with every day, and to the perils we foresee if governments and societies do not take action now to render nuclear weapons obsolete and to prevent further climate change."
The bulletin's clock, which for 60 years has followed the rise and fall of nuclear tensions, would now also measure climate change, the bulletin's editor Mark Strauss told The Associated Press.
"There's a realization that we are changing our climate for the worse," he said, "That would have catastrophic effects. Although the threat is not as dire as that of nuclear weapons right now, in the long term we are looking at a serious threat."
The threat of nuclear war, however, remains by far the organization's most pressing concern. "It's important to emphasize 50 of today's nuclear weapons could kill 200 million people," he said.
The decisions to move the clock is made by the bulletin's board, which is composed of prominent scientists and policy experts, in coordination with the group's sponsors.
Since it was set to seven minutes to midnight in 1947, the hand has been moved 18 times, including Wednesday's move.
It came closest to midnight -- just two minutes away -- in 1953, following the successful test of a hydrogen bomb by the United States. It has been as far away as 17 minutes, set there in 1991 following the demise of the Soviet Union.
Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists moved the world two minutes closer to global disaster on Wednesday.

[Metalhead Steve]

Wow, I can see that these are true risks and that they are trying to raise awareness though. That is good.

[John]

i suppose we are all going to die

[Pamela]

I personally never put much faith in that countdown clock. Interesting article however.

[Metalhead Steve]

It is not so much a countdown clock as it is a tool to make people aware that we are getting closer to being on the brink of disaster Pam... Yes, I do agree that we are moving forward towards disaster especially with the assholes in office we have now... They don't give a damned about the environment or if we blow the world up for that matter... From what I hear, VOTE OBAMA IN 08! lol

[Jordanv78]

I personally never put much faith in that countdown clock. Interesting article however.

It isn't like the bible or anything. It is taken directly from studies of the environment, Nuclear/political tension ETC. I think it is actually very informative...and it is good that they use it to raise global awareness.

[L4E]

the world is just what your brain and mine analyses when the electric signals from our senses reach it. After that its ur soul that feels sees hears smells tastes. And after that, well after that its up to ur beliefs

were all gonna die, so be happy that when ur dead at least ull be able to say "at least i lived long enough to see the end!"

[The Mob]

meh.. and the scientists predicted this now..
have yall heard of the mayan calender that predicts the end of the world at December 20, 2012?

[v325]

i heard of that.. wasnt it december 25th? and 2011? i might be wrong ..donno

[Bounda]

meh.. and the scientists predicted this now..
have yall heard of the mayan calender that predicts the end of the world at December 20, 2012?

yep, at exactly 11:11

[Jordanv78]

meh.. and the scientists predicted this now..
have yall heard of the mayan calender that predicts the end of the world at December 20, 2012?

Actually this is different because they have been doing this for a long time now. Also this is taken from scientific evidence as opposed to someone just guessing a date that the world will end...

[Mathalamus]

try april 13th ( a friday) at 2029

damn rocks

[The Mob]

lol..
well, i dont think that the mayan one will have too much effect.. i remember people were going crazy when it was going to be 2000.
the nukes and global warming are way more plausible, and sadly true

[Tap]

uh the mayan calender just went up to year 2012 that doesnt mean that its the end of the world. its just the end of the calender

does this mean that the world ended on dec ,31 2006? cause thats when our calander ended?

[hellsing293]

lol i remember on june 6th, 2006(6/6/6) people thought the world was going to end. its all speculation imo. anyways, one day there will be a nuclear war so we're just gonna have to accept it.

[Blue]

wow, i thought this was gonna be an annoying rant at the president, who people have no reason to hate.

[Jordanv78]

No way, the truth is that the problem is world wide. Nuclear war will probably start with one of these crazy nations like N. Korea, or Iran shooting at somone setting of a chain of events that we probably will never survive.

[The Mob]

or israel thinking about invading iran...

[BewarethePhoenix]

That crazy ass Kim Jong Ill will kill us all, him or some other third world nutjob. I am however glad to see that some people are more interested in making the general public aware of the threat rather than just concentrating on "foreign policy" or "military intelligence(an oxmoron to some degree)". Oh well, enjoy life while it lasts and FTW!

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