Seven minutes seems very close to midnight!
七分钟似乎离午夜很近!
But in 1949 the clock’s hands changed to three minutes to midnight.
但在1949年,末日时钟的指针调到了午夜前三分钟。
In 1949 the United States and the Soviet Union were still at the beginning of their “Cold War.”
1949年,美苏两国仍处于“冷战”初期。
At this time the Soviet Union tested their first atom bomb.
在那个时候,苏联测试了他们的第一颗原子弹。
But if you think that three minutes is close to midnight, try two!
但是,如果你认为三分钟已经很接近午夜了,那就试试两分钟吧!
In 1953 the US and the Soviet Union both tested thermonuclear bombs.
1953年,美国和苏联都进行了热核弹试验。
These bombs are able to destroy large territories.
这种核弹能够摧毁大片领土。
This event made the scientists change the clock to two minutes to midnight.
这一事件让科学家将时钟调到了晚上11点58分。
This was the closest the clock has ever been to reaching 12 o’clock.
这是末日时钟最接近12点的一次。
The Doomsday Clock does not always move forward, towards midnight.
末日时钟并不总是向前移动,走向午夜。
Sometimes the scientists move the clock’s hands back.
有时,科学家会将末日时钟的指针向后移动。
For example, in 1991 the scientists moved the hands back to 17 minutes to midnight.
例如,在1991年,科学家将指针调回到晚上11点43分。
This was the greatest distance from midnight.
这是离午夜最远的距离。
In 1991 the United States and the Soviet Union signed the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty.
1991年,美国和苏联签署了《削减战略武器条约》。
The two nations agreed to reduce their weapons.
两国同意削减武器。
The Cold War ended.
冷战结束了。
At no other time in history has the clock’s hands been this far away from midnight.
历史上从未有过末日时钟的指针离午夜如此之远的时候。
The Doomsday Clock is not just for events happening between the United States and the Soviet Union.
末日时钟不仅仅因为美国和苏联之间发生的事件而移动。
The hands have moved because of events in other nations as well.
由于其他国家发生的事件,指针也在移动。
This includes nations like India, Pakistan, Iran, North Korea and others who have tried to create nuclear bombs.
其中包括印度、巴基斯坦、伊朗、朝鲜和其他试图制造核弹的国家。