Doomsday Clock press conference LIVE — Announcement set to determine how close we are to end of world – how to watch

Which questions are asked when determining the time?

Two questions are considered when the scientists make their decision.

• Is humanity safer or at greater risk compared to last year?
• Is humanity safer or at greater risk compared to the last 75 years?

What happens if the clock strikes midnight?

Even if it strikes midnight - all hell will not break loose.

But the scientists who created it and view nuclear war as our biggest threat intend it to be taken seriously as an indicator of how dangerous the world has become.

And in our current climate, amid a backdrop of exploding global conflict, it could well be set closer to midnight in 2024.

What is the current time on the clock?

The time currently stands at 90 seconds away from midnight - the closest it has ever been to striking midnight, which symbolises the end of the world.

In 1953 it was set to just two minutes before midnight after the US and Soviet Union began testing nuclear weapons.

Ever-increasing nuclear threats in 2018 again saw it set to two minutes, one minute and 40 seconds in 2020 and just 100 seconds in 2021 and 2022.

It's smallest number - one minute and 30 seconds - came last January.