How Many Predictions of the End of the World Are There? Would Numbers Even Matter?

The beginning of year 2012 gives us so much to look forward to—New Year’s resolutions, travel plans, career change—and the list goes on. But we cannot conceal the truth that aside from the new beginnings we intend to map out in our lives, we cannot set aside the December 21, 2012 scare—the impending doomsday.

I am not quite certain about the exact number of how many predictions of the end of the world are there. Would numbers even care when you are faced with death? Probably not.

The most famous 2012 end of the world predictions came from the Maya calendar and from the best-known philosopher and seer of all time, Nostradamus, but if you’d diligently search, there are hundreds of predictions, whether formulated from scientific and astronomical circumstances or from the effects of global warming and Mother Nature’s protest. Do you remember the Y2K scare? People believed all computer programs would crash, thus would affect the stock market, the US military, the VCRs. The Y2K is just one of the many failed predictions of the end of the world.

Predictions of the end of the world existed since early 135 AD, and still continue today.  It was Montanus who predicted that Turkey would become the New Jerusalem, where all of Christianity would settle before the final judgment. Even in the Bible, the Book of Revelations warns its people of the imminent second coming of Christ and the end of the world. The world famous Sir Isaac Newton also mentioned “About the time of the end, a body of men will be raised up who will turn their attention to the prophecies, and insist upon their literal interpretation, in the midst of much clamor and opposition.” Astronomers turned prophets like Albert Porta and Chuck Shramek contributed to theories on the end of the world through their astrological findings. Albert Porta predicted the conjunction of the six planets that would result in engulfing the earth. Meanwhile, Chuck Shramek discovered the detrimental companion object following the Hale-Bopp comet orbiting the earth. Today, predictions based on astronomical changes still exist but the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) debunks all these fallacies and informs the public that the occurrences beyond the earth are mere annual events of no consequence.

None of us holds the truth about the possibility of the end of the world. Everything that we have been hearing is a mere prediction, which may or may not occur, so as long as we are waking each day, let us live as if it is our last and always hope for greater things to come our way.