WARNING: Do not read this blog if you are easily panicked. It is better to remain ignorant than to panic! This blog was written to provide the SCIENTIFIC explanation behind the doomsday theory of 2012, as well as some historical background.
Twenty-twelve, twenty-twelve! Won't anyone shut up about twenty-twelve? I'm sure you're sick of hearing it, especially if you're one of those optimists that finds the possibility of the world ending during your lifetime quite hard to swallow. Well, there's good news and bad news. And, of course, I'm gonna hit you with the bad news first.
You might have heard of the Mayan calendar ending on December 21, 2012. The truth is, that day is not the end of the calendar, but it is the end of a 26,000 year cycle marked by an astronomical event. This cycle is called a Baktun (bahk-TOON), and this happens to be lucky Baktun 13. The end of the 13th Baktun is paired with a prophecy that seems to already be coming true ( http://www.13moon.com/prophecy%20page.htm ). And no, that's not the bad news. The bad news is the astronomical event that marks the end of this cycle.
Our galaxy, which we so affectionately named the Milky Way, is a spinning frisbee of death. And I'm not talking about the theoretical black hole at its center. I'm talking about the Dark Rift. If you were to look at the Milky Way from the side, you would see a dark slice of salami sandwiched in between two bright slices of starry wonderbread (I speak metaphorically, of course). Ok, so the Milky Way is more like a spinning sandwich of death. The salami would be the Dark Rift.
Panoramic view of the galaxy recently released by the European Southern Observatory
Our solar system moves up and down in a zig-zag pattern throughout the galaxy. Every 26,000 years, we pass through the Dark Rift. "In astronomy, the Great Rift, sometimes called the Dark Rift, is a series of overlapping non-luminous molecular dust clouds located between the solar system and the Sagittarius Arm of the Milky Way Galaxy at a distance of about 100 parsecs or about 300 light years (2×1015 miles or 3×1015 kilometers) from Earth. The clouds are estimated to contain about 1 million solar masses of gas." (from Wikipedia). A million solar masses. One solar mass is the equivalent of the mass of our sun.
The gravity produced by this superdense cloud of dust and gas is immense. Theoretically, that's what keeps our solar system coming back for more. The effects of such gravity on the earth are already making themselves apparent, and will grow exponentially more severe as we drift closer. A polar shift is expected, and may have drastic effects on the climate. The magnetic properties of our own bodies will cause us to be directly affected as well, causing increasingly strange behavior patterns to emerge, and possibly new ailments as well as abilities in all beings. Animals which rely on the magnetic properties of Earth will surely suffer a great decline or possibly a complete loss of navigaional ability, making migration near-impossible. Possibly the most devastating effect will be on technology. The magnetic shifts will definitely cause interference with all kinds of technology, quite possibly making them completely useless. Telecommunication will suffer greatly, making it difficult to alert people of new dangers.
I'm guessing the effects on the sun will make for some spectacular aurora. Enjoy it while you can, as it is theorized that the shift in gravity will make Earth more of a target for objects such as asteroids and wandering planets, like Nibiru. One theory is that Nibiru will pass extremely close to Earth and get caught in its gravitational field, causing it to slingshot around and come back, hitting Earth with great force, causing the crust to peel back, exposing the mantle and bathing the Earth in fire. Scientists say that such an event would... "sterilize"... the planet.
So, that's the bad news. Unfortunately, the theory of 2012 being the end of the world does have merit, but isn't definite. We can't be sure that this is the end of Earth, the end of man, or the end of technology. What we can be DAMN sure of, is that the effects of the Dark Rift on this planet will be cataclysmic, although not necessarily catastrophic. The good news is that man has survived the Dark Rift before, and is certainly capable of continuing its legacy here on Earth this time, hopefully with a greatly heightened sense of humility toward the wrath of nature, both on and off the planet.
IF YOU DO plan on surviving, here's my advice:
-Watch shows like Man Vs. Wild or Survivorman on Discovery channel, or look up ways of surviving without the luxuries provided us by civilized life. Learn to build makeshift shelters, hunt without guns, fish without fishing poles or nets, and how to find water that is safe to drink, and plants that are safe to eat.
-Learn as much as you can about navigating without a compass or map.
-A bomb shelter or at least a sturdy basement area stocked with non-perishable food and water, as well as a lantern and first aid kit can't hurt.
-ARM YOURSELF WITH KNOWLEDGE! I cannot stress enough how invaluable the right knowledge can be.
-Choose a god and start praying. This one's optional, but can't hurt.
-Have a couple of close friends you know you can trust and your family by your side and keep everyone else distant. Human behavior will be affected dramatically by these events, and is already showing a marked change for the worst!
-Above all else, DON'T PANIC! It's better to disregard everything I've said here than to panic. I warned you!
