The Doomsday Clock: What Would Happen if it Hit Midnight?

The Doomsday Clock is a symbolic countdown clock which visually expresses how close humankind is to a potential global disaster. This clock, updated each year by the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientist’s Science and Security Board, is a metaphor for how our world leaders are responding to existential threats to humanity, such as climate change, but also man-made threats such as nuclear war.

The closer the Doomsday Clock is to midnight, the closer the world is to a catastrophe. The current status of the clock is “100 seconds to midnight” meaning the world is seemingly in a very precarious position. But what would happen if, by some unimaginable horror, it hit midnight?

The Aftermath of Midnight

It is impossible to say with any certainty what will happen if the Doomsday Clock hit midnight. It all depends upon the scenarios that lead to midnight and also the actions of world leaders and citizens around the globe.

That being said, one possible result of midnight striking is large-scale, worldwide disaster. Depending on what caused the Doomsday Clock to hit midnight, we could be looking at the potential for large-scale death and destruction from multiple angles. Famines, plagues and other health catastrophes have all been suggested as potential outcomes for hitting the midnight time stamp.

The Most Likely Result

The most likely outcome if the Doomsday Clock hit midnight is the world entering Cold War II. This is a result of the world’s two leading superpowers—the US and Russia—facing off against each other while they both have dangers assets like nuclear weapons in their possession. While a nuclear war might be avoided in this situation, the chance of a cyber war and other political difficulties is high. This could lead to countless economic, social, and geopolitical problems that would affect the world.

In the end, it is likely the efforts of world leaders will help to prevent the Doomsday Clock from hit midnight. But if it did, the consequences could be dire. It is best to take action now to prevent the human race from experiencing the immense suffering a “midnight” outcome could bring.