WILL THERE BE DOOMSDAY IN DECEMBER 2012?

WILL THERE BE DOOMSDAY IN DECEMBER 2012?

PROF WAQAR HUSSAIN

              There is a rumour in the air in social media claiming NASA has predicted total blackout of the sun from 23rd December to 25^th December this year due to alignment of cosmological bodies and shift of earth from the present third dimension to zero dimension and ultimately to fourth dimension. This transition will usher a chain of changes in the entire universe and mankind will step into an entirely new world. People have been warned to stay calm, pray extensively, avoid travelling during these days and sleep for three days. People who are not prepared for this unique cosmological phenomenon may kick the bucket due to fear and panic.

            First, NASA has not predicted above said occurrence. Second, there is a winter solstice on 22^nd December each year (the shortest day and the longest night) and celestial alignment occurs temporarily without any considerable effect on the human beings. Third, the reason behind NASA prediction is spouted due to the release of 2.36 minutes video on youtube in which NASA administrator Charles F Bolden Jr has been counseling to employees for preparedness in case of emergency. This advisory speech was recorded in January 2011 that is a routine practice and has nothing to do with solar blackout, dimensional shift and alignment of the sun, earth, galactic centre; etc.

23^rd December; a predicted doomsday is the off shoot of seven conspiracy theories.

        First conspiracy theory states that any planet wills collide with earth, bringing virtual devastation of earth and mankind. One of the most quoted planets is Nibiru that orbit our solar system after every 3600 years; the existence of Nibiru had been reported in ancient Sumerian writings. It is said that they had great understanding of astronomy.

              Nibiru theory got new life in 8O’s when astronomers observed by infrared experiments 350000 unidentified objects in the night sky. The fact is, when these objects were observed by telescope, none of them was found having size of planet. So, they are not dangerous.

         Second conspiracy theory springs out due to the ends of Mayan calendar. Many have inferred from this that Mayan believed that the end of calendar would be the end of world. The fact is Mayan calendar like hundreds of other calendars are a way of keeping track of time. It never meant to be foreteller of future. Ending of Mayan calendar doesn’t mean the end of time; rather it is the end of a calendar cycle. As our solar calendars starts from 1^st January and ends at 31^st December. Its cycle contains 365 days where as Mayan calendar cycle comprises of centuries. Its cycle will end at 21^st December and new cycle will start from 22^nd December.

            Third conspiracy theory states that coming planetary alignment will trigger a series of reaction causing sudden weather change, appearance of strange events and occurrence of unpredictable incidents. The fact is; there is not going to be any major alignment in planets in the coming several decades. If it occurs, it will surely have no impact on earth.

           Fourth conspiracy theory states that the sun will align with violent galactic centre and the sun will dash towards the centre and the entire solar system will annihilate. The fact is; the reaching of the sun to the centre of galaxy is not possible. The Sun is 30000 light years away from galactic centre. If the sun starts rushing towards the centre with the speed of light(i.e. 3×10⁸m/s), it will take 30000 years to reach there. So there is nothing to be worried.

         Fifth conspiracy theory states that after every 11 years, solar magnetic poles flip referred as solar maximum and it is going to be happened in 2012; giving birth to sun spots, solar flares, etc. It will rock the entire earth, knocking out telecommunication system, causing blackouts and other mysterious tribulations. This theory got fillip when National Research Council of Heliophysics predicted that upcoming magnetic storm of the sun will disrupt telecommunication and power system. The fact is; previous colossal solar storm was recorded in 1859 and nothing ugly incidence took place. Secondly, it is not sure that such storm will come about in 2012; it may happen in 2013 or even later.

              Sixth conspiracy theory states that earth will shift its magnetic pole and it will start spinning in the opposite direction or will turn upside down resulting in massive destruction on the earth. The fact is; the earth like sun kept on changing its magnetic poles at a snail pace and in hint less way. The earth’s magnetic cycle is roughly 4lakh years. Though, it has actually longer since the last earth flip. In spite of this, there is no certainty that it will happen in 2012 or in coming thousands of years. Even if a shift does occur, it was not result in inversion of spin or turn earth upside down.

              Seventh conspiracy theory got birth from the disasterous movies like Armagodon I, Armagodon II, End of World 2012, etc. In these movies, it is shown that a large asteroid or comet could someday collide with earth, causing a cataclysmic catastrophe. The fact is; meteorites fall on earth every day. There is of shower meteorites in the month of November each year. But most of them burn in the sky and only their ash lands to the ground. The larger bodies like meteorite or comet can be devastating. The fact is; NASA is constantly monitoring the movement of larger bodies in our solar system and no such body is advancing towards the earth.

          Above seven theories are using undefined terms or pseudo scientific thoughts, layman calculation and are presented in scientific notion to get authenticity. Some are misinterpreted scientific facts and some are the outcome of fear. But all are non-sense. The fact is; the advent of doomsday is neither known to conspiracy theorists nor to the scientist, only and only Allah Almighty knows Who is the All Knowing(Al Aleem), the Aware(Al Khabeer) and the All Seeing(Al Baseer).