The hands are now closer to midnight than ever before.

The Doomsday Clock, which is a symbol representing the likelihood of a manmade global catastrophe, has moved to 100 seconds before midnight. In layman’s terms, it signifies a worsening global crisis.

This is the first time the clock has been set within two minutes of midnight. Experts say events like global warming and the potential of nuclear warfare are contributing factors to the position of the Doomsday Clock.

The Bulletin of Atomic Scientists made the decision to position the secondhand at such a dire angle today. President and CEO of The Bulletin of Atomic Scientists Rachel Bronson says the global situation was “abnormal”.

Fox quotes astrophysicist Robert Rosner as saying, “the fact that the clock is now a mere 100 seconds from midnight signals really bad news. What we said last year is now a disturbing reality in that things are not getting better.”

The clock was created during the Cold War to notify people of major global happenstances and potentialities.

Despite the bleak outlook, many experts on foreign affairs are saying this is an opportunity for the world to come together and start fixing its problems.

Former UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said at a press conference, “We must act and work together. Not a single country or person can do it alone. We need all hands on deck and we can all work together.”