SCIENTISTS have warned that humanity is edging closer to catastrophe this year after the Doomsday Clock was set at 85 seconds to midnight.

The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists said the new setting marked the most dangerous moment since the clock was created in 1947, reflecting worsening global risks and shrinking international co-operation.

The not-for-profit group, founded by Albert Einstein and other scientists, warned that progress on nuclear disarmament, climate change and biotechnology was going backwards, while artificial intelligence poses emerging threats.

“The Doomsday Clock’s message cannot be clearer,” said bulletin president and chief executive Alexandra Bell.

“Catastrophic risks are on the rise, co-operation is on the decline and we are running out of time.”

The assessment cited conflicts such as Russia’s war on Ukraine, clashes between India and Pakistan and US and Israeli attacks on Iran, warning that major powers are becoming increasingly aggressive and nationalistic.

On climate change, the bulletin said global responses remained “wholly insufficient,” though it noted a record growth in renewable energy in 2024.

Bulletin chairman Daniel Holz warned that a world divided into “us versus them” leaves humanity more vulnerable.