End of the world:

Will Mayans' prediction come true?

By Amal HEWAVISSENTI

Whether the end of the world would occur on December 21, or not, the ancient predictions of a possible catastrophe pique our interest and curiosity. These primeval foretelling offer a strange glimpse of non-existence of the world beyond 2012 (December 21 to be accurate).

It is safer to conclude, however, that such predictions need not generate undue fear about an abrupt, disastrous end of the world precisely at the end of this year. The bottom line is that man's unscrupulous ways of life is definite to stretch these imaginings nearer to reality - closer in time. It is briefly discussed later.

Maya calendar

Nostradamus

In spite of numerous prophets of impending doom and discovery of written documents foretelling the end of the world, the concept remained largely unresponsive. Yet the discovery of the Maya Calendar managed to engage the attention of most people.

The mathematical knowledge and precise planning possessed by them stand more remarkably than their prediction of the end of the world. All the same, the predictions implicit in their calendar have been made through advanced calculations.

Who are Mayans? The Maya Civilisation flourished in Mexico in Latin America almost 5125 years ago. Strangely, this civilisation which had sprung to power within a few centuries, vanished suddenly towards 900AD. The conical pyramids built to geometrical shapes are massive and are supposed to point to specific star patterns high above the sky. These pyramids register their identity.

Even though the Maya civilisation was primarily associated with jungle and tribal life, the people were highly advanced in scientific thinking. They proved their expertise in astronomy by observing planets and stars without the aid of any variety of telescope. Their firm belief was that the black holes in the milky way was accountable to the formation of stars and the modern science provides a similar theory for the origin of stars.The Mayans argued that the alignment of earth, sun and the centre of the milky way on the same line would have disastrous effects on the earth. They correctly calculated that Venus rotates round the Sun within a time equivalent to 589 earth-days. At the same time, they were aware that planet earth takes 365 days to rotate round the Sun. Maya were an intelligent nation and were aborigines of America who had migrated from the east.

The polemical calendar

The Maya calendar printed on a clay tablet has been calculated to end on tDecember 21, 2012. An analysis of this enigmatic calendar shows that no day is to dawn on earth after December 21, 2012. The calendar has obliquely referred to a widespread calamity on earth - “the end of the earth.”

The Mayans have formulated the calendar by calculating time and by mathematical division of time into days. They have established precise periods of time keeping strictly to the position of the stars and planets - specially the star patterns. This is their mastery of mathematical precision and astronomy. Thus the Maya calendar which is based on precise calculations of time ends in 2012.

The reason is that Mayans strictly believed that once in every 26000 years, the Earth, Sun and the centre of milky way come to the ‘same point’ and this alignment of the three on the same point is substantially disastrous. According to Mayan calculation of time and alignment of planets and stars, this ‘terrible position’ comes at the end of this year. On the other hand, there is also a greater tendency to shun the belief that there is a link between the alignment of the planets and events on the Earth.

This day and age, we have everything decided by the Gregorian calendar proposed by Pope Gregory of Rome. The Gregorian calendar dictates that a solar year is actually 365 days with 24 hours each day. Archaeologists have pointed out that Mayans were more accurate in the calculation and grouping of time in a calendar. Mayans built massive pyramids having recourse to mathematical patterns made on their calendar. They took particular care to build a definite number of flights steps every 52 years and adjusted their life in congruity with the calendar. However, their disappearance is still a mystery.

Nostradamus

Another well-known Prophet to have predicted an end of the world in 2012 is Nostradamus who had lived in France more than 500 years ago. Among the numerous predictions by him, a prediction on the destruction of the world has attracted notice since recently. Modern day scientists are prompted to study and analyse his ‘previsions’ because many of them have come nearer to reality. For instance, Nostradamus’ foretelling on the World War, French revolution, assassination of John F. Kennedy and the rise and fall of Hitler and Bonaparte have become, as history records, considerably unquestionable.

The real end

Whatever Mayans or Nostradamus had foretold about the end of the world in 2012, our chief interest lies on the surprising level of their scientific thinking and the technology of their calculations even at a point of time in the distant past.

The end of the world may occur in two forms. The first is abrupt explosion which leaves nothing alive or no trace of the planet at all.

The second form of destruction is the gradual death of all living beings which is generally considered to be a partial end of the world. However, the first type is a full destruction while the second is a partial destruction which leaves room for life to come back after some time.

Modern science has discovered that mysterious ‘black holes’ which are a high gravity zone in the universe, have the capacity to enshroud Earth bringing about complete ruin. Another theory claims that Earth bears the possibility of a giant asteroid destroy on violent impact. Perhaps Earth may be forcefully magnetised towards the Sun and burned to ashes.

Human intervention

Man has drastically transformed nature and its scope of influence on the wholesome continuation of life. In consequence of his unscrupulous treatment of nature numerous harmful phenomena are beginning to batter him. Climatic abnormalities, global warning and depletion of ozone layer are the direct aftermaths of large-scale clearing of jungles and all forms of pollution.

The global warming has resulted in melting of glaciers and thereby raising the sea level.

As ancient prophets have rightly pointed out, sea-warming, bloodshed in wars, economic deadlocks, rising of the sea and nuclear crises have struck the keynote of possible end of the world. Natural disasters such as earthquakes droughts, floods and tsunamis have began to take their toll every year. Above all, man engaged in relentless war with each other ifs heralding a ‘real end of the world’ sooner or later.

Man changing the process of nature (clearing jungles) will taste the bitter consequences when the Earth becomes a ‘burning planet’ where no creature may remain alive.