Bulletin Science and Security Board member Jon B. Wolfsthal discusses the nuclear weapons issues that factored into the 2026 Doomsday Clock decision. Wolfsthal is currently the US nuclear weapon policy fellow at PAX sapiens. He was previously the director of global risk at the Federation of American Scientists and was a former national security affairs special assistant to US President Barack Obama.
On January 27, 2026, the Doomsday Clock was set at 85 seconds to midnight, the closest the Clock has ever been to midnight in its history. The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists’ Science and Security Board, which sets the Clock, called for urgent action to limit nuclear arsenals, create international guidelines on the use of AI, and form multilateral agreements to address global biological threats.
You can read their statement here: https://thebulletin.org/doomsday-cloc… Additionally, you can read the sidebar on nuclear risk here: https://thebulletin.org/doomsday-cloc… Timestamps: 00:00 – 00:23: What is the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists? 00:24 – 02:15: Setting the Doomsday Clock 02:16 – 03:52: Current state of nuclear risk 03:53 – 05:04: An era of nuclear instability? 05:05 – 06:37: Nuclear weapons testing – what is the threat? 06:38 – 07:42: Greater risk for nuclear conflict today? 07:43 – 09:23: North Korea? 09:24 – 10:59: Concern about other nations getting nuclear weapons 11:00 – 12:34: Chinese nuclear stockpile 12:35 – 14:20: New AI developments that cause concern? 14:21 – 15:51: As AI is integrated into society, are we going to lose our ability to supervise it? 15:52 – 17:54: Moving the Clock backwards?
Life event that changes all: Horse riding accident in Zimbabwe in 1993, a fractured skull et al including bipolar anxiety, chronic fatigue …. co-morbidities (Nietzche 'He who has the reason why can deal with any how' details my health history from 1993 to date). 17th 2017 August operation for breast cancer (no indications just an appointment came from BreastCheck through the Post). Trinity College Dublin Business Economics and Social Studies (but no degree) 1997-2003; UCD 1997/1998 night classes) essays, projects, writings. Trinity Horizon Programme 1997/98 (Centre for Women Studies Trinity College Dublin/St. Patrick's Foundation (Professor McKeon) EU Horizon funded: research study of 15 women (I was one of this group and it became the cornerstone of my journey to now 2017) over 9 mth period diagnosed with depression and their reintegration into society, with special emphasis on work, arts, further education; Notes from time at Trinity Horizon Project 1997/98; Articles written for Irishhealth.com 2003/2004; St Patricks Foundation monthly lecture notes for a specific period in time; Selection of Poetry including poems written by people I know; Quotations 1998-2017; other writings mainly with theme of social justice under the heading Citizen Journalism Ireland. Letters written to friends about life in Zimbabwe; Family history including Michael Comyn KC, my grandfather, my grandmother's family, the O'Donnellan ffrench Blake-Forsters; Moral wrong: An acrimonious divorce but the real injustice was the Catholic Church granting an annulment – you can read it and make your own judgment, I have mine. Topics I have written about include annual Brain Awareness week, Mashonaland Irish Associataion in Zimbabwe, Suicide (a life sentence to those left behind); Nostalgia: Tara Hill, Co. Meath.
canisgallicus 