Our Name

During the Cold War, North American scientists invented a symbolic representation of the world using a clock. Using midnight to represent an apocalyptic end brought about through the use of nuclear weapons and the failure of diplomacy, this clock can move forward or backward, depending on the current political state of the world.

Five Minutes to Midnight uses this analogy for its name. As an organization, Five Minutes to Midnight analyzes the world and events shaping its present and future state while trying to allow others to do the same. Due to the similar goals, Five Minutes to Midnight builds on the “Doomsday Clock” invented during the Cold War.

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