2012 Mayan Apocalypse Rumors Have Dark Side, NASA Warns

2012 Mayan Apocalypse Rumors Have Dark Side, NASA Warns

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NASA scientists took time on Wednesday (Nov. 28) to soothe 2012 doomsday fears, warning against the dark side of Mayan apocalypse rumors — frightened children and suicidal teens who truly fear the world may come to an end Dec. 21.

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These fears are based on misinterpretations of the Mayan calendar. On the 21st, the date of the winter solstice, a calendar cycle called the 13th b'ak'tun comes to an end. Although Maya scholars agree that the ancient Maya would not have seen this day as apocalyptic, rumors have spread that a cosmic event may end life on Earth on that day.

Thus NASA's involvement. The space agency maintains a 2012 information page debunking popular Mayan apocalypse rumors, such as the idea that a rogue planet will hit Earth on Dec. 21, killing everyone. (In fact, astronomers are quite good at detecting near-Earth objects, and any wandering planet scheduled to collide with Earth in three weeks would be the brightest object in the sky behind the sun and moon by now.)

"There is no true issue here," David Morrison, an astrobiologist at NASA Ames Research Center, said during a NASA Google+ Hangout event today (Nov. 28). "This is just a manufactured fantasy." [End of the World? Top Doomsday Fears]

Real-world consequences

Unfortunately, Morrison said, the fantasy has real-life consequences. As one of NASA's prominent speakers on 2012 doomsday myths, Morrison said, he receives many emails and letters from worried citizens, particularly young people. Some say they can't eat, or are too worried to sleep, Morrison said. Others say they're suicidal.

"While this is a joke to some people and a mystery to others, there is a core of people who are truly concerned," he said.

Not every 2012 apocalypse believer thinks the world will end on Dec. 21. Some, inspired by New Age philosophies, expect a day of universal peace and spiritual transformation. But it's impressionable kids who have NASA officials worried.

"I think it's evil for people to propagate rumors on the Internet to frighten children," Morrison said.

Myths and misconceptions

NASA scientists took questions via social media in the hour-long video chat, debunking doomsday myths from the rogue planet Nibiru to the danger of killer solar flares.

In fact, said NASA heliophysicist Lika Guhathakurta, it's true that the sun is currently in an active phase of its cycle, meaning electromagnetic energy has picked up. Large solar flares can impact electronics and navigation systems on Earth, but satellites monitoring the sun give plenty of warning and allow officials to compensate for the extra electromagnetic activity when it hits our atmosphere. What's more, Guhathakurta said, this particular solar maximum is the "wimpiest" in some time — scientists have no reason to expect solar storms beyond what our planet has weathered in the past.

Nor are any near-Earth objects, planetary or otherwise, threatening to slam into our planet on Dec. 21, said Don Yeomans, a planetary scientist who tracks near-Earth objects at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The only close asteroid approach on the horizon is forecast to occur on Feb. 13, 2013, when an asteroid will pass within 4.5 Earth radii to our planet (for perspective, Earth's radius is 3,963 miles, or 6,378 kilometers). The asteroid is not going to hit Earth, Yeomans said.

Other rumors — that the Earth's magnetic field will suddenly reverse or that the planet will travel almost 30,000 light-years and fall into the black hole at the center of the Milky Way galaxy — were also dismissed. (A light-year is the distance light travels in one year, or about 6 trillion miles, or 10 trillion km.)

One popular rumor that the planet will undergo a complete blackout from Dec. 23 to 25 earned a "What?" and blank looks from the panel of scientists.

Ultimately, concerns about Earth's fate would be better focused on slow-acting problems such as climate change rather than some sort of cosmic catastrophe, said Andrew Fraknoi, an astronomer at Foothill College in California.

Mitzi Adams, a heliophysicist at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center, agreed.

"The greatest threat to Earth in 2012, at the end of this year and in the future, is just from the human race itself," Adams said.

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Mod Note: Do not simply copy and paste material from an external source. Please copy only one or two paragraphs and then add your own thoughts/opinion on the piece.

Millenium doom prophecies anyone? If people are stupid enough to believe then maybe this world ain't for them, what a load of turd

reply to post by Mrskyblueworld


Ignorance and gullibility have always been near the top of the list of human flaws. Most likely, that will not change any time within the foreseeable future.


It does not matter what it is accredited to. After one moronic ideal has passed, another swiftly jumps in as it's replacement. It is a never-ending cycle that will continue on long after this year has ended.


A couple of the most powerful weapons against ignorant gullibility are common sense and logical thought. Sadly, a majority of the people on this planet are unarmed and defenseless.

Great thread OP... and I totally agree.

Its really sad that children are scared... that saddens me. My daughter who is 12 came home in the beginning of the school year telling me she will die at the young age of 12 because the world is gonna end and went on to explain what she was told by other students at school. I laughed and assured her she was going to live on and there was nothing to worry about. Thank God she trusts every word I say... for now anyway.

I was taken back by the school of thought though.... I couldn't believe she even bought the garbage but was glad she came home talking about it so I could ease her little mind.

Its all about educating yourself and not believing everything you hear nor read.

This quote below is in my opinion our biggest threat ...other than war.

Ultimately, concerns about Earth's fate would be better focused on slow-acting problems such as climate change rather than some sort of cosmic catastrophe, said Andrew Fraknoi, an astronomer at Foothill College in California.

reply to post by Mrskyblueworld

I did hear of one case during the summer where a girl committed suicide because she read something about the end of the world.

Doesn't make sense to me but it's still sad. What's sad is she didn't have anyone to talk with, where were the parents when she felt the way she did?

I hope she didn't come to ATS looking for comfort because you folks have pushed me toward the edge of sanity a few times.

"The greatest threat to Earth in 2012, at the end of this year and in the future, is just from the human race itself,"

reply to post by Mrskyblueworld




Nuff said...

And no, I don't believe anything special will happen in 3 weeks ;-)

reply to post by cavalryscout


Awwww, on the bright side though mate, for every ten doom-edged threads, there must be a happy one somewhere

reply to post by Mrskyblueworld


Endless fearmongering has a downside?!?!

Who'd a thunk?

I think side effects of our failing fake economy and the corrupt chemistry of our foods causes a hundred times more problems with suicides than the 2012 prophesies. If kids are worrying about the 12/21/12 doomsday they shouldn't. The world isn't going to end that day, but we can and will kill this earth in the future if we don't start changing the way we do business in society. Tell your kids they are not allowed to commit suicide, they need to stay here and help straighten out the mess we have created.

Originally posted by rickymouse
I think side effects of our failing fake economy and the corrupt chemistry of our foods causes a hundred times more problems with suicides than the 2012 prophesies. If kids are worrying about the 12/21/12 doomsday they shouldn't. The world isn't going to end that day, but we can and will kill this earth in the future if we don't start changing the way we do business in society. Tell your kids they are not allowed to commit suicide, they need to stay here and help straighten out the mess we have created.

Very true, what's more though, the Mayans didn't actually predict the end of the world, from what I know, they predicted a change of some kind. I'm all for change because the way things currently are around the globe is pretty bad.

Originally posted by Zcustosmorum
reply to post by cavalryscout

 

Awwww, on the bright side though mate, for every ten doom-edged threads, there must be a happy one somewhere

Don't get me wrong I love this nonsense.

Plus I like talking with crazy people!

reply to post by rickymouse


I've wondered so many times and I must ask.....what is the picture in your avatar?

This is concerning, and sadly predictable. It's like a doomsday cult on a global scale. Instead of a mentally deranged group of people on a farm somewhere it's an entire cultural problem brought about by scaremongering and delusion.

reply to post by Mrskyblueworld

"The greatest threat to Earth in 2012, at the end of this year and in the future, is just from the human race itself," Adams said.

Which is precisely why it's pointless to focus on "slow acting" events like "climate change".

I've always said that we're going to blow ourselves up long before we're capable of destroying ourselves through some other means.

nasa, what a waste of dollars they have become and when did they get into the psychology field?

anyway if you want to scare anyone, just explain our current state of economics and the inevitable collapse of the dollar. or maybe the fallout from Fukushima that we will be absorbing for multiple decades. you could go into the still ongoing BP oil spill and subsequent polluting of the Atlantic.

we could talk about the possibility of global famine due to droughts, or genetic manipulation and it's effects on species current and future.

please nasa enlighten us on your fix for the REAL problems we have, instead of worrying about Mayan prophecy.

reply to post by Mrskyblueworld


not to worry, even the preppers quit believing...........

If nasa was as truthful about everything else then.......................................................

Originally posted by Mrskyblueworld




In fact, said NASA heliophysicist Lika Guhathakurta, it's true that the sun is currently in an active phase of its cycle, meaning electromagnetic energy has picked up. Large solar flares can impact electronics and navigation systems on Earth, but satellites monitoring the sun give plenty of warning and allow officials to compensate for the extra electromagnetic activity when it hits our atmosphere. What's more, Guhathakurta said, this particular solar maximum is the "wimpiest" in some time — scientists have no reason to expect solar storms beyond what our planet has weathered in the past.


Other rumors — that the Earth's magnetic field will suddenly reverse or that the planet will travel almost 30,000 light-years and fall into the black hole at the center of the Milky Way galaxy — were also dismissed. (A light-year is the distance light travels in one year, or about 6 trillion miles, or 10 trillion km.)


"The greatest threat to Earth in 2012, at the end of this year and in the future, is just from the human race itself," Adams said.

I particularly like the satellites monitoring solar energy, so of course.. our 'officials' will have plenty of time to 'compensate' for it. Hm.. I'm not too sure how that answer sits with me. In 'other rumors', okay so.. the black hole theory got mentioned and ignored (I hadn't even HEARD that one yet).. but notice they do mention the possibility of a magnetic pole reversal or shift, and yet there isn't a debunking reply to it..

And, as always, not that I disagree with the final sentiments provided there, but take away the threat from the sky (stop looking at it, we're telling you it isn't there! shhhh!!), and realize that mankind is your problem, not that pesky meteor that will pass between us and the Moon in a couple months. I promise it wont hit us, now worry about something more terrestrial!!

^^^^ Bueller, bueller? Anyone?

reply to post by cavalryscout


It is an old rock on a stick, one with a hole resembling the marrow hole of a cows front leg bone near the shoulder. It is much bigger than a cow bone though and is rock. Something is carved on this side by some ancient person, the other side has scratches under the Patina and is flat for strength. What it is is in the eye of the person who examines it. The ones that come up the most are bunny, puppy, and indian head with braid.