Who Keeps Winding the Doomsday Clock?
Summary
Host Ben Bradford interviews Alex Bell, head of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, to discuss the Doomsday Clock’s record-low position at 85 seconds to midnight. They explore the clock’s history, the expiration of US-Russia arms treaties, and emerging threats like climate change and "mirror life." Bell argues that while existential risks are worsening, humanity is not doomed as long as public pressure and diplomacy persist to address these man-made problems.
Topics discussed
Intro: Zombie apocalypse banter and guest introduction
The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists and the Doomsday Clock
History: Founding by Einstein and Oppenheimer
Early issues: Nuclear deterrence and policy debates
Origin of the clock face: Artist Martel Langsdorff
Cold War: Clock adjustments and the fall of the USSR
Expanding scope: Climate, AI, and bio threats
Inside the clock-setting board meetings
Recent trends: Why the clock has only moved closer
2024 Update: 85 seconds to midnight
Sponsor breaks and podcast promotions
Top worries: Smallpox in permafrost and nuclear war
The expiration of the New START arms treaty
Debate: Arms race vs. diplomacy
Personal story: Negotiating New START in 2010
Comparison: Cuban Missile Crisis vs. current risks
The meta-threat: Disinformation and broken institutions
The power of information and shared reality
Pop culture: Red Dawn and zombie movies
Obscure threat: Mirror life and bioethics
Least worried threat: North Korea
Hope: JFK's speech and the Test Ban Treaty
The role of public pressure in saving the world
Conclusion: What midnight really means
Outro: Next episode preview and credits
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