For those who aren't aware, Dec. 21, 2012, is a significant day for many reasons. Some think it is the day that the north and south poles will reverse, thus disrupting the functioning of the entire earth, which could change the axis of rotation, causing earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and extreme weather. Some think that the earth will burn up due to catastrophic solar storms. Countless books have been written about an impending doomsday. These are most likely the kinds of people who can be described simply as "believers." The more skeptical people, however, feel that very little or nothing will happen at all. Why though, is this date even on the radar?
The main catalyst that is thrusting this date into the spotlight is the fact that the more than 5000-year-old Mayan calendar is believed to be ending on that date. Some people believe that this ancient calendar forecasted some of events in history and can also predict events in the future as well.
Dr. Walter Witschey, professor of anthropology and science education at Longwood explains the Mayan calendar as having, "A numeric integer count of days which counts like an odometer. If you visualize it as a car odometer and dial it back to zero you get a date that in our current Gregorian calendar that would be August 3114 B.C. The very earliest evidence of this particular calendar dates to about 600 B.C., which means the wheels of the odometer were well forward before it was part of human consciences. If you let the dials continue to roll, then around Dec. 21, 2012, the wheels will either roll over to all zeros or some in the Mayan world believe it will roll over to 13000."
This may sound confusing but it actually is clear how both the believers and non-believers would see the calendar as a key component in the 12/21/12 theory. "The Maya were focused on these calendar rollover dates. They carved special monuments and even put up architectural groups, because they worried about the periods of time that ended in zeros. It's also true that in the Mayan culture they tended to treat the calendar cycles in such a way that they believed history would repeat itself so that if you rolled over a big period, you could look back to the earlier version of that and get clues to what happened. You could also look forward and prognosticate that the same things would happen on that date in the future," Witschey said.
Believers in the theory would take this so-called prediction made by the calendar to heart whereas non-believers like.Witschey believe the topic "is fun to discuss, but people shouldn't be worried. The Mayan calendar is a cultural construct; it's man made. It has nothing to do with any scientific phenomena other than the passage of days. It keeps track of astronomy, but the stars are not infusing it with any special activities."
When it comes to space, however, NASA is where you would want to look for answers. Theorists claim that the earth will drop below the axis of the Milky Way, thus reversing the poles and causing astronomical phenomena. So what does NASA have to say about it? Not much. In their section titled "Get a Straight Answer" found on their Web site, the only thing they confirm is the fact that, during 2012, Venus will pass in front of the sun which only happens about twice every century. They claim that the poles won't reverse for about 1,000 years but then disclaimer that with caution that nothing is certain and there have been events in the earth's history before mankind where dramatic changes have occurred. Those who trust NASA, rest easy. Those who don't, conspire on.
One thing that is almost certain to happen however is a cultural event. As the date gets closer, the voices of the believers will get louder which will at the very least bring 12/21/12 to people's attention. Y2K can be seen as an example of the public reaction that may take place in the days approaching 12/21/12. It may not be as widespread, but some people somewhere are going to do something because of that day.
Witschey explains, "There were certainly cultural reactions at 1000 A.D. and 2000 A.D., but the measure itself is an artificial construct. What if we were counting in powers of eight instead of powers of 10? Then the big dealing point would be some other day. In other words, its all stuff made up by humans. Coincidence is not causality."
It is up to each individual person to look at all the facts and come up with their opinion on what will happen on 12/21/12. There are a lot of conspiracy-driven Youtube videos, blogs and Web sites out there that are sure to reel some people, but if it is the truth one seeks, both sides must be looked at closely. See what credible sources are out there and decide whether you should be digging that shelter and stocking up on canned goods or simply be going about life as usual. Also, if you happen to be in San Francisco, Ca., anytime between Oct. 31 and Nov. 2, swing by the "Shift by the Bay" conference being held to discuss all things related to Dec. 21, 2012.
Check out more of my interview with Dr. Witschey in our podcast section. (From the main page: Options>Podcasts)
