Doomsday Clock Moves Closer To Midnight

CHICAGO (CBS) – This news probably won't brighten your day.

Scientists announced Thursday that we've ticked 30 seconds closer to the end of the world.

The Doomsday Clock is now set at just two-and-a-half minutes to midnight.

The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, who manage the clock, cited dangers to humanity like climate change and nuclear warfare as reasons for moving the clock.

"Wise public officials should act immediately, guiding humanity away from the brink," the organization said in a statement. "If they do not, wise citizens must step forward and lead the way."

It's the closest Earth has come to midnight since 1953 when it was set at two minutes. At that time, both the Soviet Union and the United States were testing hydrogen bombs.