The Doomsday Clock is a symbol used by the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists to represent how close humans are to total annihilation. When created in 1947, they stated that we were 7 minutes away from midnight — the metaphor for the end of existence. Today, the clock's hands ominously hover over 90 seconds from the brink.
Nuclear annihilation is a topic we humans are morbidly fascinated with. From movies to books, we constantly obsess over the complete destruction of Earth following a nuclear war. Despite this, we edge closer day by day, always hearing new stories about a country testing new armaments and adding to its stockpile.
The genesis of nuclear weapons can be traced back to the crucible of World War II, a period that witnessed the birth of unprecedented destructive power. However, the Cold War catapulted the atomic arms race to unimaginable heights. The United States and the Soviet Union, during their struggle for global supremacy, used a multitude of new technologies to gain the upper hand.
The end of the Cold War era brought forth an unstable equilibrium, in the acknowledgement of MAD — Mutually Assured Destruction. MAD stated that the best deterrent to nuclear war would be the complete and horrific destruction it would cause, as no country would be able to launch nukes without being similarly retaliated on. In addition, the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, signed by every country except India, Pakistan, Israel, and North Korea, was founded to somewhat control the use and spread of nuclear weapons. However, as the geopolitical landscape evolved in the next decades, so too did the challenges surrounding nuclear weapons. Such treaties would be rendered ineffective in the future, requiring modifications to the treaty but never being effective in preventing conflict.
In the present day, the need for controlling nuclear proliferation continues to persist. Countries continue to test the boundaries of their arsenals, adding new weapons and constantly raising questions on how to stop this. While the issue of nuclear proliferation is huge, and can’t be stopped by a few simple rule changes, it’s important to address 2 major things. Firstly, there must be stricter treaties controlling the usage and spread of fissile materials used in nuclear weapons to prevent further construction of new nuclear weapons. More importantly, future generations must be informed on the dangers of nuclear weapons, and the importance of stopping their proliferation at all costs.
As we navigate today’s landscape, addressing this upcoming danger is paramount. International disarmament efforts and public awareness campaigns will be crucial to improving our chances of staying awake past midnight. The clock ticks every day— a startling reminder that the fate of humanity rests in our hands, and the decisions we make today will change the future for ourselves and our future generations.
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