Methodology
Two Clocks, Two Purposes
NukeClock displays two different time-to-midnight values. Understanding the difference is important.
Official Baseline
The official Doomsday Clock setting from the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. Updated once per year by their Science and Security Board. This is the authoritative, peer-reviewed assessment of existential risk.
NukeClock Live
An experimental, dynamic indicator that adjusts based on curated news events. This is not an official assessment — it is an educational and entertainment tool that aims to make nuclear risk more tangible and accessible.
How NukeClock Live Works
The NukeClock Live indicator starts from the official baseline and adjusts based on curated events. Each event is assigned a delta (in seconds) reflecting its estimated impact on global nuclear risk:
- Negative delta (closer to midnight): escalatory events such as nuclear rhetoric, military incidents, treaty withdrawals
- Positive delta (further from midnight): de-escalatory events such as diplomatic engagement, arms control agreements, conflict resolution
Events are categorized by type: nuclear, climate, bio, cyber, diplomacy, and conflict. Each event includes source links for transparency.
Event Categories
Nuclear
Nuclear weapons, testing, doctrine, rhetoric
Climate
Climate emergencies affecting geopolitical stability
Bio
Biosecurity threats and pandemic risks
Cyber
Cyber warfare and critical infrastructure attacks
Diplomacy
Arms control, treaties, diplomatic channels
Conflict
Active military conflicts and proxy wars
Limitations & Disclaimers
- NukeClock Live is not a prediction of nuclear war or any specific event.
- Event curation and delta assignments reflect editorial judgment, not a formal risk model.
- NukeClock is not affiliated with the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists or any government agency.
- The "My Clock" feature is purely interactive entertainment and does not reflect real risk.
- All source links are provided for transparency and independent verification.
Version History
| Version | Date | Changes |
|---|---|---|
| 0.1.0 | 2026-03-02 | Initial release with manual event curation |