In 1947, the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, a nonprofit founded by the Atomic Scientists of Chicago, created the Doomsday Clock to warn the public about the dangers of nuclear weapons.
Artist Martyl Langsdorf designed the clock for the magazine cover upon commission from Bulletin coeditor Hyman Goldsmith. The clock is a symbolic representation of the risk of global catastrophe, with midnight signifying annihilation. The clock’s hand moves depending on threats from nuclear weapons, climate change, and disruptive technologies.