Blog7)-"Ms Ivy Chan"-"Wang Kexin"-"Science an Technology"

 2012 is not the end of the world

   Ever since the movie 2012 hit the screen, the rumors about the end of the world never stop. The prediction that human being will no longer exist after 21^st Dec, 2012 has caused a great panic among some people, and which leads this issue under the spotlight of science. However, what I want to say is that 2012 is not the end of the world; and I would like to explain this to you in the following article.

   One reason we have this 2012 nonsense is there is a prediction in May, 2003. A rock planet, whose name is Nibiru, was go to crash into the earth and end the world, which quietly did not happen. Thus, just like every other predictions of the end of the world ever, when we did not die in May, 2003, it probably just pushed back a bit to 2012.

   Apparently, one more reason why 2012 is picked as a new end point of humanity is because of the Mayan calendar, more specifically, the Mayan long-count Calendar. The Maya is an ancient and mystic civilization, whose people were found of time study and they created their own calendars which were far more accurate than that used in Europe at that time. But just as the calendar hanging on our wall does not cease to exist after December 31, the Mayan Calendar does not cease to exist after December 21, 2012. This date is the end of the Mayan long-count period, but then, just as our calendar begins again on January 1, another long-count period begins for the Mayan calendar. So December 21, 2012 is not the Mayan’s prediction of the end of the world, it is merely the end of their calendar.

   But some people still believe that catastrophes are actually going to happen on the day they picked. The planet Nibiru, as I mentioned before, which is sometimes referred to as Planet X, is apparently on its way to destroy. While, it is probably surprise to hear that there is no such thing as Planet X! In fact, if Nibiru is going to hit us in December this year, it would has to be close enough to the earth now, and we will be able to see it in the sky with our naked eyes. But there is no such thing in the sky, right?

   If you are still worried about that solar storms will send us scary solar flares, because sun activities is nearing its peak. Actually, I cannot deny this theory. We will be hit by solar flares by some point in this year and they will have noticeably effects on our planet. Most noticeably, they will make some very pretty and harmless lights in the sky, called the northern lights. Terrify, I know.

   But I think the most ridiculous theory is the worry of the earth and the sun will line up in the center of the Milky Way, causing something bad to happen. Let us think this way; ever though the earth and the sun will line up in the center of the Milky Way, nothing ever happened in every single year, how come this year is different?

   From the reasons above, we can definitely come to the conclusion: 2012 is not the end of the world. And remember, always deny the apocalypse, because you are usually be right. And when you are wrong, there will be nobody around to say I told you so. :P