Humanity is closer to destroying itself, according to atomic scientists who revealed on Tuesday that the famous “Doomsday Clock” was set at 85 seconds to midnight — the closest it has been in the nearly 80-year history of the clock.

The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, a science-oriented advocacy group, made the announcement on Tuesday, metaphorically rating how close humankind is to annihilating itself with human-made advancements. Midnight represents the point at which humans will have made Earth unlivable.

“It is the determination of the bulletin’s science and security board that humanity has not made sufficient progress on the existential risks that endanger us all. We thus move the clock forward,” said Alexandra Bell, president and CEO of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. “The risks we face from nuclear weapons, climate change and disruptive technologies are all growing. Every second counts and we are running out of time. It is a hard truth, but this is our reality.”

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.