The end is near

[Scotty Dog]

I see a few poles posted and figured I would throw one out there.Will the world end in 2012?

[bandman444]

Wheres the choice for "nothings going to happen"!

[Gnomad]

So, I was pondering a few days ago the potential fates of our planet...

There is only one given. Based on our present knowledge of quantum physics and astronomical observation, the ultimate fate of our solar system seems quite clear: Our sun will progress towards a red giant and eventually wind up a white dwarf. This will render Earth inhospitable to life as we know it somewhere between one and five billion years from now, as the sun's surface eventually expands to encompass our planet.

There are at least two other known situations which could eliminate human life: asteroid/comet impact and super-volcano eruption. There is some indication that humans could divert an asteroid from impact. It is not believed that we will ever be able to stop the eruption of a super-volcano. However, it does seem likely that the human species could continue on underground.

And then there are some wild cards at play, such as the accidental (or perhaps intentional) release of extremely pathogenic virus or microbe, but these can be ignored at the moment.

So it is clear that if the human race is to ultimately survive, we will need to move off this planet. Not necessarily out of our solar system as would be required if our sun were expected to go super-nova, but off the planet nonetheless. There is a very strong likelihood that we will need to develop the skills to live under the inhospitable conditions of space long beforehand. Hopefully we will learn those skills before they are needed.

This poses quite a number of interesting situations. Not only did life form on this planet, but an intelligent form capable of averting, or at least surviving, a catastrophe that would eliminate a non-intelligent form of the same species. However, there is also a chance that this same intelligence could also lead directly to it's own demise.

So, here is the important thing to remember: If you are a rocket scientist, and an optimist, you are a part of the team that is going to insure the future survival of our species. Sure, in a few million years everyone will be talking about how cool that is, but you'll be able to say you were into that before it was cool.

[jderimig]

So, I was pondering a few days ago the potential fates of our planet...

So it is clear that if the human race is to ultimately survive, we will need to move off this planet. Not necessarily out of our solar system as would be required if our sun were expected to go super-nova, but off the planet nonetheless.

And I have a long list of who should be the first to go.

But that is another thread

[redsox15]

if i actually believed something was going to happen then I wouldn't be in college right now since my graduating year is 2013 there would be no point in going if i wasn't going to graduate.

Matt

[BEC]

And I have a long list of who should be the first to go.

Along the lines of the Golgafrincham B Ark?

[ghrocketman]

I refuse to vote as NONE of the choices are the CORRECT one.
The correct one should read: "This whole 2012 impending doom is a huge load of Guff/Bunk/Baloney/Excrement/Nonsense/Hooey/Hawgwash"

[sodmeister]

I refuse to vote as NONE of the choices are the CORRECT one.
The correct one should read: "This whole 2012 impending doom is a huge load of Guff/Bunk/Baloney/Excrement/Nonsense/Hooey/Hawgwash"

Kinda like Y2K and H1N1 flu pandemic and global warming (hey ,we`re comming out of an ice age..) ...blah,blah,blah.

Thing is ,some people are making some big coin off this "chicken little ,the sky is falling" stuff.but it ain`t me ,nor will I contribute to their coffers.

I`ll be working that day anyway.....probably out of town ,in some dark,cold corner of my world.



Paul

[karlbaum]

Hey didn't we just do the Y2K thing not long ago? Are our memories that short?

Before the world ends could you transfer your assests into my account?

[stickershock23]

God I hope it ends..... and can I get front row seats?

[Gnomad]

Along the lines of the Golgafrincham B Ark?

Wouldn't want to die from a terrible disease contracted from a dirty telephone!

BTW, you may appreciate this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZG8HBuDjgc

[o1d_dude]

I for one will be hosting the Milliways End of the World party.

For tax purposes, of course.

"The Universe as we know it has now been in existence for over one hundred and seventy thousand million billion years and will be ending in a little over half an hour. So, welcome one and all to Milliways, the Restaurant at the End of the Universe!"

[kandsrockets]

God I hope it ends..... and can I get front row seats?

Save me a seat.

[roadkill]

Quetzalcoatl returns....

[MarkII]

Y2K was a real disaster waiting to happen but didn't because it got fixed in time. Taking the right actions to steer clear of a cataclysm is never as dramatic and memorable as going through it and trying to hang on. If you are successful, no one else realizes that you did anything. All they see is sunshine all the way. That doesn't mean that the danger was never there.

The Mayans never believed that the world would end or that any cataclysm would happen at the completion of the Long Count. They just believed that it would be replaced by a new Long Count. (IOW, they would just start counting all over again.) A bunch of people who stand to benefit have been going around and selling some junk history. The Mayans had to periodically abandon their cities and go someplace else to build new ones because they couldn't efficiently manage their resources. (Incredibly, they were even worse at it than we are.) To suggest that this very same people could somehow foretell the future of the world for several centuries in advance is a bit far-fetched.

[gpoehlein]

Pretty much as Mark said - worrying about 2012 because the Mayan calender comes to an end is like saying that the world will end on Dec 31 because our calender stops there. Dude - it just starts over at the beginning again.

[jflis]

Pretty much as Mark said - worrying about 2012 because the Mayan calender comes to an end is like saying that the world will end on Dec 31 because our calender stops there. Dude - it just starts over at the beginning again.

I think it's more along the lines of "dude, I am SO DONE with this stupid calendar!" - "How far did you get" - "All the way up to 2012. Someone else can continue it if they want. I'm going home, the ball game is on tonight!"

[MarkII]

The only thing that will be destroyed on 12/21/2012 is the industry in selling disaster scenarios related to the Mayan Long Count.

[Bazookadale]

I refuse to vote as NONE of the choices are the CORRECT one.
The correct one should read: "This whole 2012 impending doom is a huge load of Guff/Bunk/Baloney/Excrement/Nonsense/Hooey/Hawgwash"

You forgot fetid dingos kidneys! You will reconsider your position the day the dolphins leave - they have already left my hometown

[MarkII]

There's also another little problem: no one today really knows when the Long Count was projected to begin or end, because no one can pinpoint exactly when it was devised. And this is not the first time that a bunch of charlatans have gone around saying that the LC was reaching its end point in the next year or two in order to scare people into buying a bunch of useless merchandise. More junk history.

[1974_Trident]

Some say the world will end in fire;
Some say in ice.
From what I've tasted of desire
I hold with those who favor fire.
But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To know that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice.

[powderburner]

So, you think he's gonna ge re-elected?

(Yes I know we're not supposed to make political posts, but I just couldn't resist, bad joke or not...)

I think I remember reading in some big book that we're not supposed to worry about this sort of thing. SomeOne else will take care of that stuff for us.

[edwinshap1]

the movie 2012 used a couple actual events, the possible negatively charged solar maxima, and the yellowstone volcano, but the idea that the core will just randomly heat up, and for whatever reason, all of the major cities being destroyed first just makes no sense :P

Favorite graph of all time

[Gnomad]

Favorite graph of all time

I sense a new thread topic!

[Scotty Dog]

[QUOTE=bandman444;142575]Wheres the choice for "nothings going to happen"![/QUOTE The world may end,mankind may end,some may be working,ect. BUT, Something will happen that day.

[Scotty Dog]

I think it's more along the lines of "dude, I am SO DONE with this stupid calendar!" - "How far did you get" - "All the way up to 2012. Someone else can continue it if they want. I'm going home, the ball game is on tonight!"

I like that one JIM.

[Scotty Dog]

I refuse to vote as NONE of the choices are the CORRECT one.
The correct one should read: "This whole 2012 impending doom is a huge load of Guff/Bunk/Baloney/Excrement/Nonsense/Hooey/Hawgwash"

Freedom of choice, thats cool. The thing is ,IF and I say IF the world does end ,Whos gona be around to say "I told you it wasnt a huge load of Guff/Bunk/Baloney/Excrement/Nonsense/Hooey/Hawgwash So, that reply is a win,win for you GHrocketman, you cannt lose on that one.However, If we are still here after 2012, I can say with the ut most confidence that you will be there on the soap box letting the world know HOW WRONG THEY WERE while driving around in your BIG ASS,GAS HOG ,oil leaking,smoking CAR,throwing cigs,beer cans,candy wrappers out the window. Doing 65 mph in a 35 mph zone flipping off the one "Barney" hick cop you have up there in the sticks while singing "This land is my land,this land is my land and the hell with the rest of ya all.

[stickershock23]

Don't worry Scoot and I are going to be sitting front row center when it happens.

I think about a week before I am going to have an END OF THE WORLD sale...

I am going to need some major coinage to party that it is all coming to an end. I am personally hoping the aliens will come and take us to a new planet.. one with less gravity and atmosphere. that way rockets fly higher and faster on the same motors... and recovery is easy on every rocket!

[GregGleason]

Hmmmmm. Eschatology, the study of "the end".

This touches on matters of faith. Who or what you believe in. Furthermore, is the source of that belief (whatever it is) credible (that's epistemology).

How 'bout this: if the Mayans were/are correct, why didn't they predict their own demise? This is much like the axiom: "If you are so smart, why aren't you rich?" Just an observation.

Everyone will die. Sometimes it is a single "natural death" or sometimes it occurs in groups in an unnatural way, such as in wartime.

I would submit that the question is not about 2012, the real and more basic question for everyone is this: are you prepared for death and is your family?

I lost a great brother-in-law to cancer this year. His "year" was 2010. It was very sad, especially for his wife and two children. We will be reminded of our loss again when our family and others will meet in the home of his widow in a few weeks for Thanksgiving.

As for me and my house, we believe in the reality of an empty tomb some 2000 years ago. My brother-in-law did, too. For that reason, I believe I will see him again and in this knowledge I am comforted.

Greg

[Scotty Dog]

Do we know that they didnt know when their own demise was to be? Did thier writings indicate they thought they were to go on forever or at least to 2012.? Im asking cuz I dont know this info.