Doomsday Clock expert issues ‘war in space’ warning | World | News

Donald Trump’s plan to build the Golden Dome to protect North America could have unintended consequences and even lead to a space war, a Doomsday Clock expert has warned. Steve Fetter, a member of the Bulletin’s Science and Security Board and professor of public policy and former dean of the University of Maryland, said: “President Trump’s proposed Golden Dome calls for the deployment of missile defense interceptors in space.

“While these probably won’t work to protect us from nuclear attacks, they could be used against other objects in space, which could trigger competition with Russia and China to deploy their weapons in space and raise the possibility of a war in space.”

Doomsday Clock advanced 85 seconds to midnight; This was the closest hour to midnight ever.

This means that the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists (BAS) has determined that humanity is closer to a global, man-made disaster than it was last year. These problems include nuclear war, climate change or disruptive technologies such as artificial intelligence.

In 2025, the time has been moved to 89 seconds (1 minute 29 seconds) before midnight; this was the closest setting to midnight since its inception in 1947.

BAS CEO Alexandra Bell said: “Humanity has not made sufficient progress on the existential risks that endanger us all, so we are turning the clock forward.

“The Doomsday Clock is a tool that shows how close we are to destroying the world with the technologies we produce.

“The risks we face from nuclear weapons, climate change and destructive technologies are increasing. Every second counts and our time is running out.”

Jon Wolfsthal, a member of the Bulletin’s Science and Safety Board, warned that Donald Trump considering restarting nuclear testing would have major negative impacts on the planet.

He said: “Any country resuming nuclear testing would be incredibly damaging… This would have a serious negative impact on global stability and security.”