Do You Think December 21 2012 is The End Of The World?

[Digital-Nitrate]

Hmm, it will be gone long before that, probably within 'a mere' 5 Bn years by the Sun, that is, if something else doesn't get us first, something small like a comet, or "slightly bigger" like Andromeda

Quite true. In fact, long before the planet is literally and not just figuratively destroyed, it is extremely likely we as a species will have been wiped out... and not just by all the dangers lurking in space, or even a massive solar flare that could destroy our atmosphere and wipe us out, but there are many possibilities for human extinction right here on Earth... many of which are man made.

BTW speaking of galaxies colliding (which happens more frequently than many may realize), here is one of my favorites images of such an event:

You can also get some great pics from www.hubblesite.org - which has some great shots of the coliding twin Antennae galaxies (NGC 4038/4039) located 63 million light-years away in the southern constellation Corvus.

(which means, besides having their countless solar systems broken apart by the colision, if they could see the earth, they'd be looking at a whole lot of Dinosaurs enjoying their last meal so-to-speak.)


Hubble recently took new pics of the Antennae galaxies, the following is one that would make a great desktop if you cropped the bottom:

(click on pic to enlarge)​

It certainly puts things into perspective how terribly small and insignificant we humans are in the grand scheme of things.

 

[YSSMAN]

I hear, from one of my strung out hippie friends, than on December 12th, 2012 the world will be changed forever, man. Like, all of the energy... Its like, going to go from a masculine world to like, a more feminine one, man. I mean, you can only see it if you let your mind expand, duuuuuuuude.

=====

Still, I've live through how many doomsday scenarios? Pssh. I think I'm more worried about having to deal with the 2012 movie.

 

[Patrik]

I see there are two Jehovah's Witnesses on here!

Seriously though, the earth will last for long, very long. But humans will make it, I'd say about 100 years or less. So much deseases and wars. And then there is the global warming, and the population increases quicker and quicker, so there will not be enough space for everyone, especially if we get another ice age and people have to move way south.

 

[Touring Mars]

If the world is going to end in December 2012, then I would like a rebate on my council tax, since part of it is going on the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games. Still, let's look on the upside... atleast we won't have to build all those new sports centres

 

[Northstar]

Of course it is, now would anyone like to buy Armageddon insurance?
This insurance covers the following:
Asteroids
Being consumed by the sun
Comets
Earthquakes
Explosion of the Earth
Giant tornado's
Godzilla
Hell resurfacing
Manbearpig
Massive flooding
Nuclear warfare
Visit from former president George W. Busch

Note: Insurance expires 12/22/2012

 

[Digital-Nitrate]

Even if you ignore the fact that the Mayan calendar isn't ending - it's rolling over from 12.19.19.17.19 to 13.0.0.0.0 and has lots of mileage thereafter as Joey points out - we get these kooky predictions all the time, even on GTP...

Quite true... and while I don't prescribe to any doomsday predictions (other than the fact that some day all humans will be wiped out, and if not then, eventually, so will the Earth), what does make the December 21, 2012 doomsday prediction so interesting is that it isn't just based on the Mayan calendar "ending" (yes, mathematically speaking one can reset the calender based on the baktun cycle... but curiously, as far as I know there is no explanation/description of this in Mayan culture).

There are several other scientific and non scientific scenarios that also point to that general point in time, and some specifically for that same date, that suggest something very significant will happen... again, I'm not at all saying I believe them.

Personally, I am excited about December 21, 2012 - not just because it's fun to celebrate winter solstice, but because each baktun of the Maya long count calendar lasts 400 years, so to be there to celebrate the end of the 13th baktun and the beginning of the 14th baktun is actually pretty cool. 👍

Not only that, but as for astrological events, we are currently witnessing an event that only happens every 26,000 years or so... and that is the end of the Equinoctial cycle, where one complete cycle of the precession of the equinoxes occurs and where the earth and sun perfectly align with the Milky Way's dark rift... Granted, seeing as how slowly the cycle is, there isn't really an exact day where this "happens", but rather it's already been "happening" for the last few years, and lasts 36 years, which is also why every winter solstice for the last 2,000 years or so is also when the Earth, Sun and the Milky Way's equator all come into alignment.

All of which makes December 21, 2012 all the more interesting to me at least. 👍

 

[Solid Fro]

Of course it is, now would anyone like to buy Armageddon insurance?
This insurance covers the following:
Asteroids
Being consumed by the sun
Comets
Earthquakes
Explosion of the Earth
Giant tornado's
Godzilla
Hell resurfacing
Manbearpig
Massive flooding
Nuclear warfare
Visit from former president George W. Busch

Note: Insurance expires 12/22/2012

George W. Busch! Really? Is this the guy who makes this stuff:

God damn! Why would I need an insurance policy for Mr. Busch? He's like gonna bring me truck loads of this stuff! Add him to my friends list!

Do you have any other types of insurance, Northstar? You know... maybe one day the IRS will say I make too much money and will tax me unfairly? They gotta pay for the Obama administration's $1.8 trillion deficit some how! I should really be prepared for that.

 

[Northstar]

George W. Busch! Really? Is this the guy who makes this stuff:

God damn! Why would I need an insurance policy for Mr. Busch? He's like gonna bring me truck loads of this stuff! Add him to my friends list!

Do you have any other types of insurance, Northstar? You know... maybe one day the IRS will say I make too much money and will tax me unfairly? They gotta pay for the Obama administration's $1.8 trillion deficit some how! I should really be prepared for that.

There are some damages that the NIA(Northstar Insurance Agency) just cannot afford to cover.

Although we are looking into covering the riot that may insue if GT5 isn't mentioned at E3.

Edit: Also, sorry for spelling Bush wrong, I was doing some NASCAR stuff and had that spelling in my head still.

 

[Digital-Nitrate]

Do you have any other types of insurance, Northstar? You know... maybe one day the IRS will say I make too much money and will tax me unfairly? They gotta pay for the Obama administration's $1.8 trillion deficit some how! I should really be prepared for that.

Seeing as how Bush helped drive up the debt by $5 trillion dollars not to mention a large part of the mess we are in now, I guess you've had all the preparation you need... and extremely thankful that reign of uncontrolled Government spending and most importantly grotesque mismanagement is over!

BTW: Considering my tax bracket puts me in that very small group that accounts for the majority of the tax revenue, if anyone should be angry about paying more in taxes it's me.

 

[Duke]

...extremely thankful that reign of uncontrolled Government spending and most importantly grotesque mismanagement is over!

I wouldn't bet the foreclosed ranch on that statement at all. I think we've only just begun to see uncontrolled government spending and grotesque mismanagement. National healthcare much?

I didn't vote for any of the Bushes at any time, but I don't think we're currently heading anywhere except deeper into the woods.

 

[mindwise]

Thanks for my new desktop image DigitalNitrate, that's one gem.
Do you know if it's a real picture or a paintbrush or something?

 

[Simon Tibbett]

No!

 

[Omnis]

I wouldn't bet the foreclosed ranch on that statement at all. I think we've only just begun to see uncontrolled government spending and grotesque mismanagement. National healthcare much?

I didn't vote for any of the Bushes at any time, but I don't think we're currently heading anywhere except deeper into the woods.

Amen, brother. Let's hope it doesn't get too bad.

 

[Solid Fro]

Seeing as how Bush helped drive up the debt by $5 trillion dollars not to mention a large part of the mess we are in now, I guess you've had all the preparation you need... and extremely thankful that reign of uncontrolled Government spending and most importantly grotesque mismanagement is over!

Somehow blaming Bush will make the boo-boos go away? When will Obama take responsibility for his spending? 200 days? 500 days? January 20th, 2012?

:relieved:

Yeah, Northstar, I will need some GT5 insurance for damages I inflict on myself if anything about Gran Turismo is not announced at E3.

 

[homeforsummer]

(yes, mathematically speaking one can reset the calender based on the baktun cycle... but curiously, as far as I know there is no explanation/description of this in Mayan culture)

If you have a read on the Wiki page about the Long Count calendar, it mentions that more than a few Mayan kings had written or spoken about dates far past the end of the 13th Baktun.

Maya inscriptions occasionally show dates beyond 2012. Most of these are in the form of "distance dates", where a Long Count date is given with a distance date to be added. For example, on the Tablet of Inscriptions from Palenque the following Long Count date was found: 9.8.9.13.0 8 Ahau 13 Pop (March 24, 603 Gregorian) with a distance date of 10.11.10.5.8. The resulting date is given as 1.0.0.0.0.8 5 Lamat 1 Mol, or October 21, 4772 — almost 3,000 years into the future. The king Pacal of Palenque predicted that on this date the eightieth Calendar Round anniversary of his accession will be celebrated, suggesting he did not believe the world would end in 2012.

I mentioned this in a previous post.

So no, their calendar isn't ending on the aforementioned date. It's just another arbitrary date that happens to coincide with a significant date on an unused calendar.

Thanks for my new desktop image DigitalNitrate, that's one gem.
Do you know if it's a real picture or a paintbrush or something?

I think it's real, and I also seem to remember posting it myself in the amazing and cool pics thread a couple of months ago 👍

 

[Stavingo]

Nope, who makes up these conspiracys anyways?

 

[mindwise]

I
I think it's real, and I also seem to remember posting it myself in the amazing and cool pics thread a couple of months ago 👍

Thanks, i better check that thread a bit more often then (before it's tooo laateeeee)

 

[zed300]

As long as GT5 comes out before the end of the world, it's all good.
Oh and be able to race my sons on GT.....9? They are 2&4.

 

[Tired Tyres]

GT9? The Sun will turn into a red giant in 4-5 billion years. Are you sure it will be out before then

 

[mindwise]

Completely off-topic, so i the right thread i guess, lol
But in no way predicting a date for the EotWorld

After consulting a friend, i now think it's not a "real" pic, but rather a composite.
Mirrored milky way overlayed in the water of he canoe picture.
The stars in the water seem too clear (not expected since the water is visibly slightly wrinkling) and there are stars visible in the reflection of the treeline if you catch my drift.

It's still a beauty of course 👍

 

[prisonermonkeys]

Apocalypse 2012?

I'm not buying it.

I recall reading that the guy who started the idea that the Mayans predicted the date of extinction is actually the guy who founded Planet ARK and not actually a Mayanologist. In fact, I believe a lot of Mayanologists dismiss the theory because lots of writers on the subject have burred fantasy with reality to forward their hypotheses, and that the original 'decoding' of the calendar was a mistranslation.

But let's just say for a moment that everything was done accurately. Could it be that the Mayans, having just completed a calendar that would be good for five hundred years decided not to worry about makng one for the time after that because it wouldn't be their problem? Or their children's problem, come to think of it. Or their children's children's problem. Or their children's children's children's ...

 

[Christhedude]

I've watched all the documentaries about the Maya calender and read a lot of things too, but i dont really believe that.

I mean there is the possibility that in 1 year a massive asteroid might strike us, which direction cant be changed by shooting nukes at it.

You never know what happens. I dont want to disrespect anyone, but the returning of the christ? jesus coming back? I'm not religious at all, so i may find that kinda weird, but there is no proof for that...jesus and christ coming back??!!

If the Maya were infact right, then soon we all will be experiencing strange things on earth, that will indicate the ending is soon.

But too face reality, nothing will happen for a very long time.

Like i said in the GT5 thread, we all have to wait and see when it comes (well hopefully GT5 comes before the end of world )

Chris

 

[Grayfox]

The would may end on April 12 2029, thanks to the 99942 Apophis Metor.

Its predicted path.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/99942_Apophis

 

[Tesla]

^Not seeing the problem, it misses

 

[Famine]

Apophis was, for a short time, the highest ranked object ever recorded on the Torino Scale at 4. Apophis is presently rated at 0 on the Torino Scale.

For reference, there are only three objects presently that are not Torino Scale 0. They are 2007 VK184 (Torino 1), 2011 AG5 (Torino 1) and 2011 SM68 (Torino 1). The most likely object to hit is 2011 AG5 at 1 in 625 for an impact in 2040 - Apophis is ranked at a mere 1 in 250,000 for an impact in 2036.

The Torino Scale, as it is relevant here is, for reference:
0 - No Hazard - The likelihood of a collision is zero, or is so low as to be effectively zero. Also applies to small objects such as meteors and bodies that burn up in the atmosphere as well as infrequent meteorite falls that rarely cause damage.
1 - Normal - A routine discovery in which a pass near the Earth is predicted that poses no unusual level of danger. Current calculations show the chance of collision is extremely unlikely with no cause for public attention or public concern. New telescopic observations very likely will lead to re-assignment to Level 0.
2 - Meriting Attention by Astronomers - A discovery, which may become routine with expanded searches, of an object making a somewhat close but not highly unusual pass near the Earth. While meriting attention by astronomers, there is no cause for public attention or public concern as an actual collision is very unlikely. New telescopic observations very likely will lead to re-assignment to Level 0.
3 - Meriting Attention by Astronomers - A close encounter, meriting attention by astronomers. Current calculations give a 1% or greater chance of collision capable of localised destruction. Most likely, new telescopic observations will lead to re-assignment to Level 0. Attention by public and by public officials is merited if the encounter is less than a decade away.
4 - Meriting Attention by Astronomers - A close encounter, meriting attention by astronomers. Current calculations give a 1% or greater chance of collision capable of regional devastation. Most likely, new telescopic observations will lead to re-assignment to Level 0. Attention by public and by public officials is merited if the encounter is less than a decade away.

No object has ever been higher than four - and only two (Apophis and 2004 VD17) have been rated at two or more. There are three additional levels until a collision is certain and it peaks at 10

10 - Certain Collision - A collision is certain, capable of causing global climatic catastrophe that may threaten the future of civilization as we know it, whether impacting land or ocean. Such events occur on average once per 100,000 years, or less often.

 

[Jarnac]

My music teacher told me about this, this all started from the Mayan Calender. It supposedly predicting when the spanish would come, and other events have also have been predicted. For some reason the calender ends on December 21 2012, do you think it's the end of the world.

The end of the world for stone age, sun worshipping, human sacrificing, idolators then?

 

[rocko100]

I dont have anything even reasonably intelligent to say so...

















WERE ALL GOING TO DIE!!!!

 

[Rico_S]

WE'RE ALL GOING TO DIE!!!!

 

[Camaroyenko]

All this question needs is a one-word answer.

No.

 

[Joey D]

The end of the world for stone age, sun worshipping, human sacrificing, idolators then?

You make it sound as if the Mayan's were some how an inferior culture.