Is the world entering a second nuclear age? The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists gave its answer Wednesday with the first change to the Doomsday Clock in five years. Executive Director Kennette Benedict made the announcement in Washington.

Kennette Benedict: “The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists is moving the minute hand of the Doomsday Clock two minutes closer to midnight. It is now five minutes to midnight. This change reflects global failures to solve the problems solved by nuclear weapons and by climate change.”

The Doomsday Clock was created 60 years ago to warn the world of the dangers of nuclear proliferation. The clock change comes one week after the Bush administration announced fresh plans in building the nation’s first new nuclear warhead in nearly two decades.