Growing concerns about a possible nuclear war and other global threats have pushed forward the symbolic Doomsday Clock by 30 seconds - to just two minutes before midnight, reports BBC. The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists (BAS) said it had acted because the world was becoming "more dangerous". The clock, created by the journal in 1947, is a metaphor for how close the mankind is to destroying the Earth. It is now the closest to the apocalypse it has been since 1953. That was the year when the US and the Soviet Union tested hydrogen bombs. Last year, the clock was also moved forward by 30 seconds. Announcing the move in Washington DC on Thursday, the BAS said the decision "wasn't easy" and said it was not based on a single factor. However BAS President

and CEO Rachel Bronson said that "in this year's discussions, nuclear issues took centre stage once again".

The team of scientists singled out a series of nuclear tests by North Korea. They dramatically escalated tensions on the Korean peninsula and led to a war of words between North Korea and the US.

The BAS also referred to a new US nuclear strategy that was expected to call for more funding to expand the role of the country's nuclear arsenal.

Rising tension between Russia and the West was also a contributing factor.