2012 : is the world ending? and what happens after that?

[FelipeV]

They are definitely interesting times, are undeniable changes we are experiencing. I guess most do not realize because have not been left without homes or food, or are in a situation similar to that of Libya, but it is alarming the amount of natural events that have affected millions of people. I do not think that the December 21, 2012 represent a before/after. If the Mayan prediction is certain, the change will be gradual and it's already began. What really worries me is the sun's activity, as it's expected the major solar storm between 2012 and 2013 that could leave us without electricity, no electricity means no telecommunications, no airplanes, internet, television, NO water. Still does not worry me too far, I get the impression that many people are pinning their hopes that something radical happens, maybe they're tired of the system (yes, I know how it sounds).

Alien contact? C'mon, the mayans were great astronomers and mathematicians, but there was NO way they knowing that the solar system cross the galactic plane in periods and all about solar activity. All we can do is hope, the date is not too far.

 

[TheChosen1]

I just watched a documentary about this.

"There comes a time when the living will envy the dead."
sends chills down my spine.

the weather here has been strange too!

but I want to think positive and hope for the best.

 

[Squizree]

^ That time is now! I hope the world ends in 2012. I actually DO envy the dead. Today's world is so upside down and so artificial. Besides, I'm going to heaven

 

[TianSoFine]

I've never considered 2012 before, but all this drama in the Parisian fashion industry makes me wonder...

 

[WonderfulTonight]

im sorry if this is a repeat, but i didn't want to read 35 pages of comments. i thought the mayan prediction simply stated an end of their calendar.

as far as the extreme weather stuff is concerned, i had a meteorologist tell me once that predicting weather was in itself an oxymoron. there was a time in the 80s when the central united states experienced seven tornados in one day. we had snow here in los angeles last week, but it wasn't the first time. the hot days in january also didn't beat the record heat recorded here in the 70s.

i think every generation has its end of the world phases.

 

[glitterpeacock]

i think every generation has its end of the world phases.

^Quite.
The Millenium bug was supposed to turn up in 2000 and eat up all the computers.
The other day in art history we looked at artwork from 900BC. Everyone was convinced the world was going to end so there was lots of apocalyptic artwork made.
So I don't think it's anything to worry about.

Then again, the Mayans brought us chocolate. Who to believe?

 

[cheepmunk]

If the world ends in 2012, I won't have to repay my student loans. Woohoo!

But yeah, humans have been predicting the end of the world since the beginning of humanity. Every generation thinks they have it worse than all those that came before, and that it can't possibly get any worse than it is now. It's human nature to forget that those in power have always, always, lied and cheated and stolen and trampled on those weaker than them to make it to the top. Always. There has always been suffering and misery and starvation and climate change and species going extinct and earthquakes and floods and war and conquest.

The world may or may not change dramatically in the coming years, but if it does, it probably won't change in the way anyone is predicting. Would anyone have thought, 50 years ago, that the Soviet Union would be gone and hybrid cars would be a thing? Or that the internet would be invented and would become what it is today? There's no way to predict what is going to happen. There isn't. You could get hit by a car tomorrow and die, and then it won't really matter if the world does or doesn't end in 2012. The best thing to do is to sit back and enjoy the ride while you can, and it ends when it ends.

Of course, these people think the Rapture is coming on May 21 of this year, so who knows? Forget about the student loans; maybe I don't even have to worry about paying this month's electric bill.

 

[ailin]

If the world ends in 2012, I won't have to repay my student loans. Woohoo!
^agreed

 

[Squizree]

I'll theird that notion.

 

[á la Balenciaga]

2 sun's

 

[Over the Sea]

according to Sir Isaac Newton, the world isn't going to end until around 2060.
If I'm going to believe any of these end of the world predictions it will be this one- it would be a lot better for me to die at 73 rather than 23

 

[cheepmunk]

Ooh, that sun thing is pretty cool. An article discussing it scientifically, for those who care. This part was kind of interesting:

Previous sightings of horizontally-aligned double images of the sun and moon are recorded in a book called "Light and Color in the Outdoors" (English edition: Springer 1993) by the famous Flemish astronomer Marcel Minnaert, which remains the most complete reference on double suns. "So many other instances have been reported that there is no longer any doubt about ... observations of sun and mock sun(s) being at exactly the same altitude," Minnaert wrote.

"The case of a mock sun 3 degrees and 25 arc-seconds to the left of the nearly set sun sounds incredible but has been recorded photographically." Indeed, Minnaert's description sounds nearly identical to the scene in question.

But what's in the video is apparently very uncommon:

"This is not a common optical phenomenon that we're seeing here," said Grant Perry, an atmospheric scientist at the University of Wisconsin Cooperative Institute for Satellite and Meteorological Studies. "I'm asking myself if this is an artifact of the lens, but if that were the case — if it's reflections of the lens elements — then the images would move in relation to each other as the camera moves," Perry said. "But that doesn't happen."

In terms of an optical explanation, he said, "You would have to assume it is particles of ice or something in the atmosphere aligned in such a way that they would refract the sunlight at that very small angle, but only in one direction. It would require some fairly peculiar characteristics."

Several related atmospheric optical effects are fully explained by science. Sun dogs, sunset mirages, sun pillars and sun halos are all relatively common and well understood. But not this effect.

It's very intriguing," said Kaler.

ETA (Just to be thorough ...But the scientists over at abcnews wish to poop on everyone's fun by claiming that it's an optical illusion, and a little more evidence would be nice, too, please.

 

[tigerrouge]

If you go to photography forums, there are lots of technical explanations for the effects that happen when capturing the sun or other sources of light - and I wouldn't be surprised if an increase in pollution is also a big factor. I've seen some strange sun and moon effects around the area of a power station in my country, thanks to whatever's being pumped into the sky.

If the world ends in 2012, I won't have to repay my student loans. Woohoo!

After the end of the world, all debt obligations are transferred to the Devil for collection, and his department will be seeking repayment in forms other than money.

If Isaac Newton's end-time prediction is for 2060, then we'll probably have to wait a few decades before we see what sort of mad cult grows around him, although given that he based his notions on the Bible, his source material might not be obscure enough to truly appeal to people.

 

[Deleted member 49693]

But I want to get out of the horrible situation I'm currently in and LIVE LIFE TO THE MAX! I don't want the world ending anytime soon!

 

[mackos]

Oh dear, the world is ending and I haven't even been to any Parisian fashion show yet.

 

[Squizree]

^ Soooo true. We must all experience that at least once. I still haven't been to Couture week.

 

[ms-nietzsche]

Not 2012, but we're supposedly headed towards massive extinction levels. The earth might not end but things on it might. Source

 

[á la Balenciaga]

more fish....

 

[Squizree]

^ I saw this on the news today.

 

[Mary-Anne]

O M G... those dead fish images are truly shocking. dead fish...dead birds... wth is going on