Anniversary of December 21, 2012

The idea of seeing the world in the brink of destruction creates a very huge interest to the inhabitants of the world. Some of us are excited in discussing such subject, but others are scared seeing everything deteriorates. One of those people who are excited of this is me. Yes, I admit. I love talking with people about it, but I am afraid if it happens.

The Bible itself reveals that everything in our surrounding will someday be DESTROYED. All will start from small happenings - e.g. the anti-Christ appearance. The Seven Angels carrying Trumphets will blow their instruments and each signifies the start of plagues and natural major events. The Armageddon (or should I say, the WORLD WAR III) will start and all countries in every continent will destroy one another. The population of the world will become small and only few of the people will be saved.

Discussing such complicated topic and only based on human predictions is very hard. I have read a book (but I forgot the title) from our school library where all the possible causes of human extinction was enumerated and explained. It was a small and black front covered book. The author explicated the topic in a straighforward way which made me understand everything.

Anyway, just last year, the whole world was stirred with the idea that the world will end on December 21, 2012. Documents and old predictions rose from no where and revealed that our planet will really be ended. I considered the date a great hoax because all the predictions about it didn't happen.

By the way, where did the said date came from?

December 21, 2012

One of my classmates and also my friend was planning for her birthday party on December 21, 2012. She just ignored the idea of the grimliness of the said day. Like what she said, It's God's will. Whatever happens, it's in His hands. She is indeed correct. I approved with that, but I confess, I was really excited to what will happen on that date.

I was even preparing on days before the coming of the day. It was said that Three days of Darkness will come before the end of the world begins. Thus, from Monday night, I closed all the doors and windows in my house just like the instructions given to make your family safe. Then when morning came, I saw a flash of light from outside the window. I opened it and everything was normal, same as to the next two days.

It was Thursday night, everything in the television seemed normal - all the news and events. Making me think that maybe tomorrow is just a normal day. And the sun lit the whole place, and it was a usual morning.

I'm not joking, I really did those things, but I didn't bother to warn many people of what they should do. I just let them do the normal ways.

December 21, 2012 is Friday. I think, it's not only me who did their own safety acts preparing for the coming destruction. Besides, nothing will happen if I prepare for myself. Okay. I thought it could be appropriate if I give the best example of a person's response to the hoax. That's why I put what I did on that day.

So . . . The idea of the date, December 21, 2012, came from a Pre-Columbian Mesoamerican civilization which they called the Maya Empire.

The Mayans are the only known people in Mesoamerica who has a fully developed written language, art, architecture, and mathematical and astronomical systems before the coming of the Spanish conquestadores[1] . They are the one who created what we called the Mayan Calendar. The calendar was said to have estimated the first doomsday and predicted the coming of end of the Maya Empire and the future end of the world. It even predicted the coming of the western people in their place.

By the Maya mythological tradition, as documented in Colonial Yucatec accounts and reconstructed from Late Classic and Postclassic inscriptions, the deity Itzamna is frequently credited with bringing the knowledge of the calendar system to the ancestral Maya, along with writing in general and other foundational aspects of Maya culture.[2]

This calendar consisted several cycles with different length of time. (Perhaps like what we use right now - having days, months, year, decade, century, millenium, period, era, epoch, eon, and etc.) The starting point, when a mythological event happened, was, in Gregorian Calendar, August 11, 3114 BCE or September 6 in Julian Calendar.[2]

In Long Count, the 1.2.3.4.5.6.7.8.9 is the technique used by scholars to make a date. 1 is for Alauntun; 2 is for K'inchiltun; 3 is for Kalabtun; 4 is for Piktun; 5 is for B'ak'tun; 6 is for K'atun; 7 is for Tun; 8 is for Winal; 9 is for K'in.

Let's have an example:
0.0.0.0.13.0.0.18.2

13.0.0.0.0 is actually the date of December 21, 2012.
18 winal is 360 days. (18 winals x 20 days = 360 days)
2 k'in is 2 days. (1 winal = 1 day)

Let's count how many days from December 21 to December 31: 10 days (left before 2012 ends)
In 360 days, the 10 days (see above) is included
360 days + 2 days = 362 days
Therefore, if you count exactly from December 21, 2012 plus the 362 days, then the date is December 18, 2013 (the day when I created this article).

Correct:
December 18 to December 31 = 13 days
365 days (1 year) - 13 days = 352 days (From January 1 to December 18)
352 days + 10 days (see above) = 362 days

The December 21, 2012 simply mean that the calendar will go to the next b'ak'tun. Thus, the year 2406 is the estimated year when the calendar will go to the next b'ak'tun. We're actually in the 13th b'ak'tun based on the Long Count. Therefore, 7 b'ak'tun left before we go to the next piktun. The October 13, 4772 is the date that the calendar will go to the next piktun.

Supporting Predictions: Scientific Term

Aside of the Mayan Calendar, there are other predictions that made the theory of December 21, 2012 much stronger than the other predictions of end of the world in the last decades. All of them seemed to be consistent with one date, as if all of them were created with only one end point.

Let's with scientific explanations:

Galactic Alignment

It was said that on December 21, 2012, the Sun, Moon and Earth will align to the galactic equator of the Milky Way. Naturally, it occurs every 36 years, however this alignment is different than the others. The reason is because the Sun touches a part of the dark rift.

In effect, the alignment will cause calamities such as earthquakes, tsunamis, floods and other destructive weather. Others say that the inner planets' orbit will be disturbed and the earth will be sucked up by the galactic black hole.

Solar Storm

In August, 2010, a shocking news from NASA was reported that some time in 2012, a solar storm will happen. It happens when an eruption in the sun, called the solar flare, will appear.

By the way, to differentiate the two, a solar flare is a sudden brightening observed over the Sun's surface or the solar limb, which is interpreted as a large energy release of up to 6 × 1025 joules of energy (about a sixth of the total energy output of the Sun each second or 160,000,000,000 megatons of TNT equivalent, over 25,000 times more energy than released from the impact of Comet Shoemaker–Levy 9 with Jupiter).[5] While solar storm is a sudden burst of very fast, charged particles from the Sun.[4]

The Ultraviolet and x-ray rays ejected from the sun will cause an electromagnetic disturbance in the Earth's atmosphere. In addition to that, it may also affect the power of the world, thus losing the eletricity.

The Solar Storm itself would not cause an apocalypse, but it would bring about a sort of domino effect. People would then lose access to their heat/air conditioning, refrigeration, phone service and GPS. Also, drinking water distribution systems could break down in a couple of hours. Normally, a “Faraday Cage” protects the satellite’s internal equipment from external electrical charges, but constant bombardment of charges would cause satellites to break down. There are over 936 operating satellites in space, worth an estimated $200 billion to replace. Magnetic storm currents acting on gas pipelines are known to enhance the rate of corrosion over time, with potentially catastrophic cumulative effects.[4]

Web Bot

Web Bot is an Internet Bot computer program whose developers claim is able to predict future events by tracking keywords entered on the internet. It was developed in 1997, originally to predict stock market trends. The creator of the Web Bot Project, Clif High, along with his associate George Ure, keep the technology and algorithms largely secret and sell the predictions via the website.[6][4]

The web bot uses Wisdom of the Crowd with web crawlers that search the internet for about 300,000 keywords with emotional context. Overall, the web bot is used as a prophet that predicts future happening through computer activities of mankind. Accordingly, it had predicted the Northeast Blackout of 2003; 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake; and Hurricane Katrina and its devastation; however it missed the massive earthquake in Vancouver, Canada; collapse of US Dollar and bombing of Israel to Iran; and a Major catasthrophe in 2012.[6]

This really contributed much in the theory of December 21, 2012 apocalypse.

Supporting Predictions: Traditional Term

In traditional and religious term, a prediction of when the world will expire also rose in addition with the scientific studies.

Book of Revelations

The most famous prediction of the end of the world, no doubt, is the Bible. The final book in the Bible is the Book of Revelations written by John the Apostle or John of Patmos.

The book consists of three literary genres. It starts with the espistolary which addresses the words to the readers themselves, then the apocalyptic description of a complex series of events derived from prophetic visions seen by the author.

To make the explanation short, the book says:

The earth will face destruction in many forms. People will have to suffer from earthquakes, fire, plague, hailstorms, famine and many other calamities, in all shapes and forms. After these cataclysmic events, the Antichrist will gain domination over the world. They will rule the world for a certain unknown amount of time, which will then be followed by Armageddon. During Armageddon, a colossal battle will occur between the forces of evil (the Antichrist) and the forces of good (Jesus Christ), in which Jesus prevails. The Bible itself never gives specific dates, of course; instead all of its prophecies are based on a timeline of milestones and events.[4]

Kali Yuga

Kali Yuga (or the Iron Age) is the last of the four stages the world goes through as part of the cycle of yugas. This age is associated with the demon named Kali. His name literally means, strife, discord, quarrel or contention. The other stages namely are Krita/Satya Yuga (Golden Age), Treta Yuga (Silver Age), and Dvapara Yuga (Copper/Bronze Age).

The Kali Yuga will start when the summer solstice (June) Sun was aligned with the apparent Galactic Center. It started around 10,800 BC. Then it will end when the Satya Yuga will start. It is when the winter solstice (December) Sun aligns with the apparent Galactic Center. As we know, it happened in December, 2012. The end means that Kalki, the last reincarnation of Vishnu, will return and will battle with the demon Kali.

Timewave Zero

The I Ching, or Book of Changes, consists of an arrangement of sixty-four hexagrams (six-line figures) consisting of two types of lines, yin and yang, and has been used as an oracle. Coins or sticks are thrown, the combination of which signifies one or two hexagrams, and the second hexagram represents the predicted change from the first hexagram. Terrence and Dennis McKenna make a case that the I Ching was originally used as a lunar calendar in which the sixty-four six-line hexagrams (384 lines total) represented the 384 days in a thirteen-month lunar year. The earliest arrangement of the hexagrams of the I Ching is the King Wen Sequence. The theory that emerged from the I Ching study is known as Novelty theory.[4]

If the wave model is a valid theory of time, it should be possible to pinpoint on the wave that corresponds to the date that something important happened in history. To carry out this operation, Peter Meyer developed the Timewave Zero software. To see how the Timewave Zero software works click here. McKenna believes that during this time there will be a surge in information and evolutionary breakthroughs will start coming in nanoseconds. The theory is not deterministic; it does not say what will happen in the future, only the levels of novelty that whatever happens will have to fulfill.[4]

How the World will end

There are more than ten theories of how the world will end. If I enumerate all of them, it will take us more or less a whole day. Summarizing them is possible, but explaining them briefly could be hard. Such subject like the others above is complicated to discuss.

Anyway, let's get started . . .

The first way of how the world ends is by means of a Geomagnetic Reversal.

Geomagnetic Reversal is the interchange of position of two magnetic poles of the Earth (North and South Poles). They said, the reversal happens some time between a thousand and ten thousand years. The most recent reversal that happened in 780,000 years ago was the Brunhes–Matuyama reversal.

According to Geologist Gregg Braden, the Earth's magnetic field has dropped to 38% in the past two years and still continue to drop till it reaches the point of zero. During reversals, additional magnetic poles will appear and the compass would then point a different direction. Then the magnetic field will eventually vanish and emerge after several thousand years but in a different position. Though it will not affect physically the human body, the machines we use dependent of the Earth's magnetic field (such machines are radios, satellite, communication devices and GPS) will be disrupted. In addition to that, the charged particles coming from sun like ultraviolet and x rays will cause skin diseases (e.g. skin cancer), and the plants will die out.

The second way of how the world ends is by means of a World War III or an Armageddon.

For the past centuries of human life, we have seen brutal and catastrophic wars in the world. From simple bow and arrows, swords, catapults and horses, we now have the most destructive and scariest weapons ever created by man - the Nuclear Weapons. These weapons if fired may kill not only half of the population of the world but may wipe out almost all of us.

By the way, when we say WORLD WAR, it only not include two continents but more than of it. Well, for reasons how this war will start, in my own opinion, maybe by means of territorial and resouce scarcity, and misunderstandings. If China keeps on conquering islands in the Pacific and South China Sea, then a war may begin between Japan, South Korea, USA and Philippines. If the Middle East still in conflict of territorial disputes, then they may also begin a war. If ever North Korea fires a nuclear weapon testing, then a war against her and other countries around her will start. We all know the effects of a war - poverty, endangering wild lives, no shelter, and deaths.

The third way of how the world ends is by means of a Pandemic.

Have you watched the movie or read the book World War Z? It's actually the best example of a Pandemic. Creating a zombie disease is possible nowadays, but still undiscovered, and I hope it will not be discovered. Yeah, its exciting and interesting just like the zombie movies and series we've watched (e.g. The Walking Dead, Resident Evil, Night of the Living Dead and many more). But if it's true-to-life, then you'll realize it's not. If you've watched the series of The Walking Dead, you'll realize the effect of a zombie pandemic. Everyday, they strive for food, water, shelter, safety, medicine, and even trust with one another. It's a literal end of the world.

But its not only the zombie pandemic that can put mankind to extinction, but also the other diseases. One example that happened in the Medieval Age is the Black Plague. Documentaries about it can be watched in Youtube.

Till now, we're still trying hard to avoid the wide spread of AIDS/HIV.

The fourth way of how the world ends is by means of a Super Volcano.

There are three super volcanoes in the whole world: Yellowstone in US, Lake Toba in Indonesia, and Aira Caldera in Japan. If ever one of them erupts, surely half or more of the worlds population will die out. Yellowstone is the most likely super volcano to erup next.

A supervolcano is a volcano capable of producing a volcanic eruption with an eruption radius greater than 240 cubic miles (1,000 cubic kilometers). Supervolcanoes are the most dangerous, with a Volcanic Explosivity Index of 8.

Remember what happened when the Mt. Pinatubo here in the Philippines erupted? It caused thousands of deaths, and many villages sunk underneath the water and muds.

The fifth way of how the world ends is by means of a Solar Flare.

I will skip on this because I've explained this above.

The sixth way of how the world ends is by means of a Global Warming and Global Cooling.

Our world is actually in the brink or should I say in the midst of a Global Warming. If you compare the temperature of the world in the past decades to now, you'll notice the great difference. We always hear this issue on TV. They always remind us how to avoid and lessen the global warming. So I think explaining it is not necessary anymore.

On the other hand, here's the Global Cooling. Obviously, its the opposite of the Global Warming. The movie The Day After Tomorrow is one example of how the world will be frozen that the only area in the world that is not affected according to the movie is the equatorial countries, and Philippines is near the equator.

The seventh way of how the world ends is by means of an Asteroid-Earth Collision and Asteroid-Moon Collision.

Have you heard the Nibiru theory in the 20th Century? It is actually not an asteroid, but a planet, but it seemed to me an asteroid. The movie Deep Impact is one example of what will happen if ever an asteroid will collide to Earth.

The Asteroid-Moon Collision is also one way. If the moon changes its course in the sky or goes near to Earth or if debris fall towards the Earth, then it's not a good thing. The gravitational disturbance may cause somehow a bad effect to our planet. I just don't know how large it could be.

The eighth way of how the world ends is by means of a Nanobots.

Lately, some scientists discovered the use of a nanobot in healing internal diseases, and this nanobots are not controlled by humans. They have there own intelligence, and they can also reproduce like simple bacteria.

The nineth way of how the world ends is by means of an Alien Invasion.

The universe is very large and it is possible that we're not alone here. There are dozens of movies that can explain why these aliens will invade our world. Maybe because, they're experiencing what we're about to experience hundred years later.

The tenth way of how the world ends is by means of Humans themselves.

I don't need to explain why. The reason is very obvious. Almost half of the above examples of how the world will end is man-made.

Afterword

If ever the true end of the world approach, the only things I will do are to BOND with my parents and other family members, SAY thank you and sorry to everyone, and most importantly PRAY to GOD. I really don't have any idea what's the best thing to do before the end-times come. Enjoy? I don't think I can enjoy myself with worries in my heart that for just a second everything and everyone around me will vanish.

For Filipinos there, I know some of you are watching the TV series of GMA Channel 7 entitled Genesis. As you can see, it shows how people respond on a real apocalypse. People started to panic and even became selfish. Even though they knew that only five thousand normal, talented, strong, and important individuals will be saved by the spaceship Genesis, they still strive and fight to get there. It is similar to the situation of people in the movie Titanic. Not all life boats in the ship was used because of people's fear. Sacrificing is the only key for a better survival. But I know, it's impossible.

For us in the real world, let's just enjoy life as soon as the world is not about to end. God has plans, and we have no choice but to deal with it.

The year 2013 became rough and challenging for us Filipinos. First is the Napoles Pork Barrel Scam, second is a war, then an earthquake, and finally, a super typhoon. We cannot change what was made and happened, but we can still control our future based on how we live.

Note: Try pointing your cursor on the underlined words or letters for an additional information or definition.

Sources:
[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maya_civilization
[2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maya_calendar
[3] http://listverse.com/2010/12/03/10-controversial-apocalyptic-theories/
[4] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_flare
[5] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_Bot
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_Revelation
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kali_Yuga