64 years ago, the Doomsday Clock showed two minutes before midnight
How the idea of the Doomsday Clock came about, who decides how long it will show, and why it was not affected by the Cuban missile crisis, we tell in the History of Science section.
In 1945, a group of physicists from different countries worked on the American atomic bomb project. As the preparation for real tests became more and more noticeable, some of the creators of the terrible weapon began to think about how to keep their "brainchild" under control. To discuss these issues, participants in the Manhattan Project began publishing the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists. When this newspaper grew into a magazine, the wife of one of the physicists, Martil Langsdorf, was invited to design its covers.
At first, she chose the letter U as the basis for the design - the designation of uranium as a chemical element. Later, after listening to the conversations of physicists, she realized that the main motive for their discussions was haste: they understood that a nuclear war would be the shortest of all. This is how the idea of a clock was born, measuring the danger to humanity in minutes to midnight. The first position of the hands, seven minutes to midnight, was chosen by eye.
"Bulletin of Atomic Scientists" / Wikimedia Commons
Now the decisions to transfer the arrows are made by the Science and Security Council, which publishes the Bulletin, which includes experts in nuclear weapons, climate change and modern technology. He can also invite outside experts.
Moving the arrows forward, closer to midnight, caused the tests of Soviet and Indian atomic bombs, the introduction of troops into Czechoslovakia, the continuation of the nuclear programs of Iran and the DPRK, the strengthening of the US missile defense after the terrorist attacks of September 11. But the clock was closest to midnight in 1953, after testing a hydrogen bomb. Interestingly, the Cuban Missile Crisis did not affect the clock. In general, I just didn't have time. The tensest part of the crisis did not last long for the Council to decide to move the arrows.
Testing a hydrogen bomb / Stringer / Reuters
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Scientists took a positive view of the signing of treaties banning nuclear weapons testing in three areas (under water, on earth and in space), on the nonproliferation of nuclear weapons and on the reduction of strategic weapons.
After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the arrows moved back immediately by seven minutes, despite the fact that since the beginning of Perestroika, they have already rolled back seven minutes. The emergence of new leaders and, in general, the change in the country's course has generated euphoria among Western politicians and scientists along with them. As a result, the minute hand no longer fits on the fragment of the dial that was drawn at the beginning.
In 2007, the arrows moved forward again, but the reason for this was not so much the danger of an atomic war as the realization that in addition to nuclear warheads, humanity has many ways to destroy itself. Climate change and the not always controlled development of science and technology now also affect the position of the arrows.
The hands of the clock were last moved in early 2017 due to the election of President Donald Trump and his policies on nuclear weapons and climate change. Then they stopped at 2.5 minutes before midnight, almost catching up with the 1953 "record".
Inauguration of Donald Trump as 45th President of the United States / Gary Hershorn / Global Look Press
However, not everyone likes the idea of a watch. For example, back in 1984, one of the American newspapers quoted the co-founder of the Bulletin, a biophysicist of Russian origin, Yevgeny (Eugene) Rabinovich: “The clock does not measure the ups and downs in the struggle of international forces; they must reflect important changes in the level of danger that humanity lives in in the era of nuclear weapons.” However, as the author of the note notes, the scientists who control the arrows are engaged in the first, not the last - they react to events in international relations: negotiations, agreements, and so on. Of course, they are easier to track, but how much the signed documents change the situation cannot be said immediately.
The watch has become a symbol of the dangers that humanity creates for itself. They were mentioned in the lyrics of The Clash (It's 55 minutes past 11 - "Five to twelve"), The Who, followed by Iron Maiden (Two Minutes to Midnight - "Two minutes to midnight"), Smashing Pumpkins (actually, Doomsday Clock - "Doomsday Clock") and Linkin Park (the album Minutes to Midnight - "Minutes to Midnight").