Since I have a lot of free time on my hands these days I watch lots of things on the computer. I was on the History Channel site and ended up watching "Nostradamus Effect: 2012 Extinction". It summarizes how many diverse cultures point toward December 2012 as the end of our time ushered in by disaster.
The possibilities range from a magnetic pole shift, to a nuclear/biological war, to an asteroid or comet colliding with the Earth. You remember this scenario from the dinosaurs, right?
Anyone need a happy moment? It's okay. Go ahead. Take a moment.
So is it really the end of the world or just another holiday season filled with consumerism?
Either or, folks are getting prepared for the worst. The Norwegian government has constructed The Svalbard Global Seed Vault, or as the media has dubbed it, the Doomsday Vault. It opened in 2008 and has over 400,000 seed samples stored inside. The vault was carved into the side of a mountain on the Svalbard islands, just north of Norway, where the warmest temperatures during summer reach about 45°F. This vault has been constructed and filled in the event there is a disaster which wipes out all of our existing crops. Smart, yet depressing at the same time.
While there are many cultures that have 2012 as an eventful year, are people reading more into the writings and calendars then they should? Sure the Mayan calendar cumulates on 12/21/12, but is it because it's supposed to be the end of time, or is it perhaps something more simple?
The Mayan calendar is actually multiple calendars tracking various cycles including astronomical and harvest. The calendar begins around 3114 BC (before their culture existed) and ends in 2012 AD. That's a 5,126 year cycle before resetting to zero. So is it the end of time or is the calendar just resetting, like we do every December 31st?
December 21st is the winter solstice. The interesting detail for this date in 2012 is that it is also the date that the sun, for the first time in about 26,000 years, will be aligned with the center of our galaxy. While interesting, is it relevant?
So is this another Y2K (Do you remember where you were for Y2K)?
Are people working themselves up for nothing or is Armageddon upon us?
Candy cane anyone?
2 comments:
Haha, yeah I totally agree. I think it's all for nothing. But you know me, God decides when the end of the world is, not the Mayans.
I've watched several of those "end of the world" shows on the History channel too. Some are a little "out there".
As for me I look at it like this, I know where I'm going if and when the world ends so... if it DOES end on 2012 fine with me. If it doesn't, fine with me. :)
jana
I read somewhere that it's the beginning of a period of evolution. As in, the changes would not be obvious to a casual observer. I'm not to worried about what its bringing, I'm kinda anxious to get on with it...if that makes any sense.
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