Contradictory to what most people are being told by the media and many websites, the Mayans never predicted, prophesized or said that the end of their calendar meant the end of the world. The end of their calendar did have a very important significance though.
The Science Behind It
The believed “End Of The World” date is when one of the Mayan calendars ,called the Long Count Calendar, finishes in December 21st -23rd 2012. The cycle of this calendar began August 13th 3114 BC (0.0.0.0.1.) and ends its thirteenth Baktun in December 21st – 23rd 2012 (13.0.0.0.0) giving it an age of around 5,126 years old.
Their calendar is extremely accurate, even more accurate then the calendar system we use today. Some worry that if this calendar, which has proven itself to be astronomically precise over millions of years, stops in 2012 then history itself will stop. However, this Mayan calendar does not stop in 2012; it renews and starts at 0.0.0.0.1 again.
The date of its renewal coincides with a winter solstice where the sun will align with the center of the Milky Way for the first time in 26,000 years. Others say that this galactic alignment will cause catastrophic changes to our earth and thus the end of the calendar predicts the end of the world. As of now there isn’t any scientific proof that the galactic alignment will cause any type of damage to earth.
A lot of the hype about the end of the world being on December 21st -23rd 2012 came from a book called “The Maya” which was published in 1966. In the book, the author wrote:
“There is a suggestion . . . that Armageddon would overtake the degenerate peoples of the world and all creation on the final day of the thirteenth [baktun]. Thus … our present universe … [would] be annihilated on December 23, 2012, when the Great Cycle of the Long Count reaches completion”
Yet, academic research on the Mayans doesn’t show any sign that their civilization attached apocalyptic significance to 2012. On the contrary the end of their calendar was celebrated.
For them, the galactic alignment was an anticipated event that meant the starting of a new era where the world will be reborn again. Interestingly the beginning of the long count calendar occurred when mankind began writing, and the first cities and nations appeared. What could the beginning of the next long count calendar hold for us?
Should we worry
Not really unless you still believe that the end of the calendar means the end of the world.
Worst case scenario
Scientists could find out that the galactic alignment could cause major changes to the earth, setting off a series of natural disasters.
Best case scenario
The beginning of the new cycle could coincide with great advancements in our civilizations.
Advice
Don’t believe all the hype from the media about the Mayan calendar and if you’re worried then do some research yourself to see that there really isn’t anything to worry about.
Comments
They have also found another 6 Mayan Calendars in Guatemala to take us up to the year 6000
