Figures updated · Text reviewed · By the Riftrate team · How the index is built
| Doomsday Clock | Riftrate | |
|---|---|---|
| Published by | Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists | Riftrate, independent |
| How often | Once a year, in January | Every hour |
| How it is set | Decision of an expert board | Computed from news data, no human adjustment |
| What it covers | Nuclear risk, climate change, biological threats, disruptive technologies | Wars, terrorism, sanctions, diplomatic ruptures, unrest |
| Scale | Seconds to midnight | 0 (calm) to 100 (crisis) |
| Latest reading | 85 seconds to midnight (January 2026), the closest ever | 40.0 (Easing) |
| History | Since 1947 | Daily since 2018 |
When to use which
The Doomsday Clock is a symbol: it tells you how worried leading scientists are about the long-term direction of the world. Riftrate is a gauge: it tells you whether today is calmer or tenser than usual, and whether that is changing fast. A war can push Riftrate into Crisis within a day; the Clock will only move at its next annual announcement.