There's a lot of crazy theories floating around the internet
right now : so what I've decided to do was compile a short Q&A about
2012 and what it may bring with it. Bear with me here boys and girls - it's
a bit nutty :)
A film by Roland Emmerich - the director behind the
disaster movies like "Independence Day: and "The Day After Tomorrow",
is generating new interest in predictions of a major
mishap to hit Earth December 21st, 2012 . The film
aptly named "2012" relies on a set of disasters
that force man to leave the planet in order to survive.
Evidence for the 2012
prediction is spotty at best, but it does center upon the end of
the what is known as the long run of the Mayan
calendar . Here we assess the likely and unlikely risks that may face
the Earth on or around the winter solstice three years from now.
What will happen in 2012?
Did the Mayans predict something terrible for 2012?
The ancient peoples of Mesoamerica were of a vast
interconnected empire, filled with rich art, education and destruction. The
Maya were one of these tribes. Other than archaeological intrigue why are
these people so studied? Their written language was based on pictographs,
much like the ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs. Mayan culture was like most
other native cultures.
So what is supposed to happen on this magical date of December
21, 2012
One theory suggests that a
Magnetic Field shift will occur around this time, that the calendar was based
on pole shifts, which have occurred repetitively throughout the Earths history.
The Maya, understanding the time periods between these shifts created their
Long count calendar around them and come up with the final date for the next
pole shift. But how would they know what to look for to expect another shift?
How much time was supposed to pass between these shifts and how did they know
it? Was there record passed down to them from long ago recounting a time
when there was a prior pole shift so that mathematics could be used to predict
the next one to come? Or did the ancients study a form of dendrochronology
the study of climate changes by looking at tree rings. Others suggest a much
more mythical or religious approach. December 21, 2012 is also the Winter
Solstice, and provides us with a view that will not be seen again in any of
our lifetimes. The Sun will conjunct the intersection of the Milky Way in
the ecliptic, giving us view of the Sacred Tree as called by the Maya, giving
us view of the Tree of Life.
Both of these scenarios are quite possible, one scientific
explanation, and one religious. What we still do not know, and probably will
not know is what will happen after this end date until it actually occurs.
A new dawn of enlightenment would be a step towards progression, in that mankind
would become more aware of their surroundings and the impact that they have
on the Earth as well as a higher intelligence and consciousness and a better
mindset for helping their fellow man. Perhaps this is the end, when Mother
Nature finally decides to shrug off the oppressiveness that has been created
by the children and start anew.
We may just end up living through another doomsday prophecy,
going to work or school as usual, looking back on the prophecies and laughing
them off. Peter may have cried wolf too often for our cynical minds.
Will Aliens invade the Earth in 2012?
Why would Aliens want to invade Earth?
Let's ask why Aliens or other intelligent (more
dominant) species of some kind would WANT
to invade us. As far as we understand our planet we enjoy the benefits
of habitable eco-systems, fresh water, and a means to produce foods.
These things would be the most likely reason for an alien invasion... Assuming
that we are not alone in this vast cosmos....
Why isnt this theory a crock? Taken to account that
there are roughly 100 billion stars in our Milky Way galaxy, the probability
of life on other planets is a likely one. Also the infinite numberof
parallel universes, there the possibility of life on other planets is expanded
quite a bit. Extraterrestrials would have quite a bit of searching to
do just to find our big blue ball in an infinite sea of possibilities, in
this case. The reasoning behind an invasion could stem from any number
of things. Their own planet could be in the grip of over population,
that they have depleted their own native resources and drained the planet.
Over pollution is as well another possibility for their migrations.
If there were resources native to only a few planets, Earth included this
would be another cause for invasion.
How could an Alien Invasion happen?
FLT : Faster than light travel would likely be needed for them to reach
us. Our universe is theorized to be one thousand trillion trillion (1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000)
meters, should our planet be found in the vastness of possibilities, how
would we be reached from the depths of space? Traveling at a year at
the speed of light one would have gone ten trillion kilometers (10,000,000,000,000)
one would have to possess superior technologies that could propel them at
faster than light speeds, and/or through "wormholes". A theoretical
distortion of space-time in a region of the universe that would link one
location or time with another, through a path that is shorter in distance
or duration than would otherwise be expected. If one were able to
harness faster than light speeds, faster than 300,000 kilometers per second
as well as travel through wormholes, then an invasion would be quite possible
within a few years as opposed to a few million, billion, or trillion years.
Physicists today are coming closer to the answer of this question although
the technology is something out of our current reach.
Could we stop an alien invasion of our planet?
Oh sure, I'll get Will Smith on the phone - and we'll be kicking their
asses Independence Day style in no time....
NOT!
Given the technologies that these beings could possibly possess, or other
transport options that we couldn't fathom, it is quite likely that they would
possesses weapons that would remove us completely without endangering their
new possible home. In another case, they may even just kill off the
excess and use the rest as slave labor. Such fantasies as seen in the
science fiction books and movies where humans won the day through whatever
means would be exactly that, fiction. An intelligent species would
have taken the time to study this planets physiology and technology to learn
what viruses and possible threats that were resident here and take precautions.
In the event of an unknown threat, we would have no hard information
on how to defend ourselves against a threat such as this. Being an
unknown enemy is the best tactic that an enemy has. We would either
kill ourselves, and the planet with nuclear weapons in the remote chance
that it would remove the threat, game over for everyone.
Not....likely....
Did Nostradamus predict anything for 2012?
How many times has the end of the world been
predicted now?
The doomsday crowd always insist that Nostradamus
said the world was going to end and that he NEVER GOT ANYTHING WRONG.
Now days it's all about 2012. Specifically, December 21st 2012. Nostradamus
wrote that his prophecies only went as far as the year 3797. Think
what you want, and read below - I will list some misconceptions about 2012.
The Nibiru (celestial Bbody) collision theory is based
on claimed 'channeling" by extraterrestrials / Aliens, and astronomers regard
the possibility of planetary collision as frivolous. NOT NOSTRADAMUS!
Nostradamus and his quatrains are clearly intended to
be read in a pre-apocalyptic manner, they do not mention (more importantly
a DATE OF ANY KIND) the end of the world. Their Preface summarizes that they
are valid until the year 3797.
The "Lost Book of Nostradamus" is a version of the anonymous
Vaticinia de summis pontificibus - a book of prophetic papal emblems dating
from centuries before his time – and makes no mention the year 2012. NOTHING!
Enviromental collapse in 2012?
Todays shouting is about climate change or man made global
warming. In the previous decades pollution, destruciton of the ozone
layer soil depletion and an imminent mini ice age were the environmental
dangers thatwe confronted. There is little doubt right now that we do have
an impact on our surroundings - but it's extent is still undetermined. A
collapse from warming, sea level changes, resource shortages are all real
and present problems we will face some day. THe likelihood of it happening
before December of 2012 doesn't seem very likely though.
Why this theory isn't BS
Few people doubt that the planet hasn't been getting at least
warmer (whatever the cause they want to believe in) The Intergovernmental
Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) issued a 2001 report that concluded the global
temperature had risen ~0.6c over through the 20th century - with the 1990's
being most likely the warmest recorded since the records began in the mid
1800's.
How likely is it? 2/10
Not likely at all. Things would have to speed up and we'd
have to be seriously careless - though in the long run all the problems I
listed areas I said - something we will have to face some day. The planet
changes, and it doesn't care what the inhabitants think either.
Will Planet X / Nibiru hit the Earth in
2012?
Let me sum this up for you.
The Planet X / Nibiru collision is a supposed
collision (or near miss) between the Earth and a large planetary object.
People in this doomsday
event variously refer to this object as Nibiru, Planet X or Wormwood.
The idea was first proposed in 1995 by Nancy
Lieder, founder of the website ZetaTalk. Lieder describes herself as a contactee
with the ability to receive messages from extra-terrestrials from the Zeta
Reticuli star system through an implant in her brain.
Proof?: Very little. Some point back to the 2005
findings by Nasa that a 10th planet had been discovered on the outer
fringes of our solar system... but this 10th planet is certainly not moving
into the inner solar system.
Odds of this happening: 0.001/10 - Keep hoping lunatics of the
world :)
Will a Super Volcano erupt in 2012?
A
supervolcanic eruption refers to a volcano that produces the largest
and most voluminous kinds of eruptions on earth. The actual explosivity
of these eruptions varies, but the sheer volume of extruded magma is immense
enough to radically alter the landscape and severely impact global climate
for years, with a cataclysmic effect on life.
Here is a list
of known super volcanoes. We can demonstrate by theorizing what might
happen if the super
volcano at Yellowstone would start erupting. All you have to do is
imagine a volcanic blast so devastating it obliterates at a stroke the English
county of Yorkshire or the US state of Connecticut - a detonation so enormous
it buries a continent in ash and plunges the entire world into a volcanic
winter.
Is it likely? 1/10: As before all eruptions, we would
expect the ground to swell as new magma made space for itself. Swarms of earthquakes
would also be firing off as the magma broke through to open a path to the
surface. Scientifically speaking, Yellowstone is overdue - and it is "rising
at a high rate"but the chances of it happening in 2012 are still super
remote. The geological record shows the giant caldera (what's underneath
Yellowstone) erupts roughly every 600,000 years. Theoretically speaking, most
geologists will agree that it's been about 640,000 since the last eruption.
It definately WILL happen again - but the chances that it falls on December
21st, 2012 aren't good. DONT BET MONEY ON IT!
Will a solar flare or solar storm hit Earth
in 2012?
People generally take on this theory due the Mayan calendar
and their understanding of the solar system.. In this scenario a huge
solar flare from the sun will scorch the Earth wiping all life
out.
There is no evidence that such catastrophic events happened in
the past.
Why it isnt COMPLETE BS: The solar storm of 1859 - also
known as the Solar Superstorm, or the Carrington Event, was the most powerful
solar storm ever recorded. It caused the failure of telegraph systems all
over Europe and North America. Auroras were seen all over the world, most
notably over the Caribbean Also noteworthy were those over the Rocky Mountains
that were so bright, the glow awoke gold miners, who began preparing breakfast
because they thought it was morning. A solar flare or storm large enough
to "scorch Earth" has never been proven - and no evidence has been found
in Earth's history.
Honorable mentions :
Biblical
references (no dates give or anything to indicate something bad will
happen in 2012
