The Mayans:
The Mayan long count calendar, dating back to at least the sixth century B.C. C., has greater importance for us today because the end date of this calendar is fast approaching. The Mayans were a particularly advanced civilization, and their calendar was one of their greatest achievements.
The ancient Mayan long count calendar ends on December 21, 2012. Although this is obviously just a date and the calendar had to end at some point, rather than spiral into infinity, there is general uncertainty among many people about what what this means Why does the calendar end on this specific date and does it have any meaning to us?
2012 Judgment Day:
Some people think that Judgment Day 2012 will bring about the end of the world, or at least we will see catastrophe and destruction on an epic scale. Let us not forget the widespread panic and confusion that the next millennium brought us. The world was going to end on New Year’s Day 2000. It obviously didn’t, as we all lived to ‘fear’ another day. Now we need a new date to fear the approach of.
Many more people think that Judgment Day 2012 might not be such a bad year and that this date could bring about a “new beginning”, or a new enlightened age for humanity.
The Maya were extraordinarily accurate in predicting the movements of the planets. One theory is that on this date in 2012, the planets in our solar system will align with the center of the Milky Way.
Planet X:
Another theory is that a rogue planet, called Planet X, will collide with Earth or come close enough to cause catastrophic destruction. Planet X, often referred to as the 12th Planet, is also called Nibiru, a name derived from author Zecharia Sitchin and his works on Sumerian and Babylonian mythology.
Nibiru is a planet-sized object that scientists first observed moving toward our solar system in the 1980s, though most scientists deny its existence. Some people believe that it has already entered our solar system on a course that has taken it around the other side of the Sun, obscuring it from Earth.
Beyond 2012 Doomsday:
The effects of a collision with Earth would be disastrous. An asteroid colliding with Earth would almost certainly result in an extinction level event, or ELE, but a planet-sized object colliding with Earth would likely result in the total destruction of our planet.
Fortunately, the chances of a collision are extremely remote. Probably as remote as you or I won the lottery, but let’s not forget that some people do win the lottery. Every week someone wins the lottery!
A near miss would be unfortunate, but not fatal. The result would be severe weather conditions, millions of deaths, and probably a new Ice Age.
Looking on the bright side, most scientists don’t believe that Planet X exists. Still, there are countless other ways that fate can get its claws into us.
The year 2012 could transition smoothly into 2013. It probably will, if we’re lucky.
