Editor's note: This is the first in a three day series discussing the Mayan apocalypse/end of the world mythology. Check back with Patch tomorrow to see what local religious leaders say you can do to prepare spiritually (yes, really) for doomsday.
People have called (seriously) NASA and asked: "Should I worry about finishing Christmas shopping on Saturday if the world is going to end on Friday?"
To answer that, let's look at the National Weather Service forecast for the end of the week (world) here in Apple Valley and Rosemount:
- Thursday: Cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly sunny, with a high near 19. Wind chill values between -1 and 6. Blustery, with a northwest wind 16 to 22 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph.
- Friday (Mayan forecasted Apocalypse and DOOM): Sunny, with a high near 20.
- Saturday (Day after Earth's predicted destruction): Mostly sunny, with a high near 23.
Seems kind of pleasant.
Here's the real answer to whether you should plan on Saturday Christmas shopping: Experts say Dec. 21, 2012 is going to be just another typical winter solstice, and not to make any rash decisions.
Killer solar flares aren’t expected. Another planet isn’t on a collision course with ours. And the Mayan “long count calendar” ending on this date has no real significance—they had to end it somewhere.
What is All the Fuss About?
There are a number of theories and predictions that call for earth’s demise on Dec. 21, 2012. They include:
- The ending of the Mayan calendar. The Mayans, according to a Sarasota Patch article, kept three separate calendars. The “long calendar” ends in two days on Dec. 21. Some say this constitutes a Doomsday prediction; many do not.
- Nostradamus. That famed French seer from the 1500s has been credited with predicting several end-of-the-world scenarios that some believe will take place in 2012. The website December212012.com points to the potential sparking of World War III on this date.
- The collision of Earth and the supposed planet Nibiru. This supposed space catastrophe was initially predicted to strike in 2003. The planet in question was supposedly discovered by the Sumerians, according to NASA. When the world didn’t end in 2003, the date was moved to December 2012 for the deadly collision with earth.
What are the Experts Saying?
The intrigue created by multiple end-of-the-world predictions has made many scholars and even NASA stand up to make statements debunking the claims. From professors at Tampa Bay’s own New College to the scientific minds at NASA, they’re all saying the same thing: Go ahead and pay that mortgage bill and wrap those holiday presents.
In regard to the ending of the Mayan calendar, New College’s Gabrielle Vail told Patch:
There are many misconceptions about the Mayans. If you look at their calendar alone, the Mayans kept three calendars. The one that has prompted the end of the world predictions was their "long count calendar"— a 5,125 year calendar. The calendar began August 11, 3114 B.C. and ends Dec. 21, 2012.
She said the Mayans wrote about dates beyond Dec. 21, 2012 "well, well into the future, trillions of years." They also wrote about dates before the 5,125 year calendar began.
Here’s what NASA has to say about all of the collective Doomsday prophesies:
The world will not end in 2012. Our planet has been getting along just fine for more than 4 billion years, and credible scientists worldwide know of no threat associated with 2012.
According to an article on nbcnews.com:
"Experts estimate the system starts counting at 3114 B.C., and will have run through 13 baktuns, or 5,125 years, around Dec. 21. Experts say 13 was a significant number for the Maya, and the end of that cycle would be a milestone — but not an end."
But maybe they're just fun-haters: there are a number of parties planned for Dec. 20 or 21 this year, just in case the Earth explodes, or zombies run amok. With the "long count" calendar of the Ancient Mayans coming to an end that day, some people are a little pessimistic about any calendar continuing past that date.
If you're planning a party, Yahoo has a number of things folks need to consider for their bash to end all bashes:
The 2012 end of the world will be a global event, a one-of-a-kind celebration. Start planning now to have the very best End of the World party possible!
What if we make it?
So if we wake up on Saturday and we're still here—what then?
Just wait, someone will predict the apocalypse again.
There have been several predictions of the end of the world, including the May 21, 2011 biblical prediction by then 89-year-old old "minister" Howard Camping. At that time, Patch columnist Ben Cathey made his own prediction that it would not come to pass. Indeed he was right. On May 22, 2011, the sun rose just as surely as it had the day before.
