Atomic scientists moved the symbolic Doomsday Clock to 85 seconds to midnight on Tuesday, the closest it has ever been to a theoretical annihilation, according to the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. The decision to move the clock closer to midnight was influenced by familiar risks such as nuclear weapons and climate change, as well as emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, which scientists argued is being used to spread disinformation.
Alexandra Bell, President and CEO of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, stated, "Every second counts, and we are running out of time. It is a hard truth, but this is our reality." This marks the third time in the past five years that the clock has been moved closer to midnight.
In other news, the Senate is facing a potential partial government shutdown later this week due to a political impasse over immigration enforcement and funding for the Department of Homeland Security, Time reported. Republicans and Democrats are deadlocked over a six-bill appropriations package passed by the House, which includes funding for Homeland Security. Democrats are demanding changes to the bill following a deadly shooting in Minneapolis involving federal immigration agents and have signaled they are prepared to let funding lapse if their demands are ignored. Funding for a large share of the federal government is set to expire after midnight on Friday.
Meanwhile, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney saw a surge in popularity following a heated exchange with President Donald Trump at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Time reported. Carney denounced American hegemony and declared a rupture in the old world order during a speech that appeared to reference the U.S. Administration. Trump responded by saying, "Canada lives because of the United States. Remember that, Mark, next time you make your statements." Carney has stood by his statements.
In Germany, a practice called "lüften," or airing out one's home daily, even in winter, is gaining traction in the U.S., Time reported. The practice, which involves opening windows to reduce mold, humidity, pollutants, and odors, is becoming trendy on social media, with TikTok users nicknaming it "burping their home." Some Germans practice "stoss lüften," which involves opening all windows completely for a short period.
Nature News issued an author correction to an article published on January 21, 2026, regarding relatively warm deep-water formation during the Last Glacial Maximum. The correction pertains to the color scale bar on Fig. 1b, where the label "35.50" should have read "35.00." The correction has been made in the HTML and PDF versions of the article.
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