"It's the end of the world as we know it..."

By Torri Kerkman

I remember as the new millennium came people began to worry about at the worlds end. They stocked up on their water bottles and toilet paper then holed up in their basements to ring in 2000. Yet here we are nine years later going strong.

This good luck will soon run out though. The Mayan calendar predicts the end of the world will be on December 21, 2012. The Mayan calendar is actually a system of several calendars that all overlap. One of them is referred to as the Long Count, which is based off a decimal system. For example, the Mayan date for December 21, 2012 is 13.0.0.0.0. December 21, 2012 marks the end of the Long Count calendar.

Coincidentally, or perhaps not so coincidentally, a unique astronomical event will be happening on this date. The sun will be in line with the crossing point of the galactic equator. This is due to take place on the winter solstice, which was something very important to the Mayans.

Some consider all the hype about a simple number to be completely ludicrous. Various groups of sun worshippers have gathered around Mayan ruins. A gathering a cults does seem a bit much.

The 2012 predictions have created many upcoming media spin offs of this prophecy from the ancient Mayans. Many books and movies have been cropping up about the end of the world as we draw closer and closer to this fateful date.

In November the movie 2012 will feature a complete cinematic experience of the end of the world. Will there be survivors? Whether it's anticipation for the movie, or the actual end, December 21, 2012 will be a date that many shall have on the brain.