The Doomsday Clock was first introduced in 1947, when it appeared on the cover of the June 1947 issue of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists magazine.

Quick Scoop

  • The Doomsday Clock is a symbolic clock that represents how close humanity is to global catastrophe, with “midnight” standing for annihilation.
  • It was created by artists and scientists associated with the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, a group formed by Manhattan Project researchers concerned about nuclear weapons after World War II.
  • The first setting in 1947 was seven minutes to midnight, reflecting worries about the new nuclear age just two years after Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

So if you’re asking “when did the Doomsday Clock start?” — it started in 1947, as a graphic concept and symbol on the Bulletin’s magazine cover.

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