Genesis of the 2012 Phenomenon

While most academics dismiss the myths and prophecies that warn of a coming doomsday, an indefatigable band of history detectives is racing to connect the dots before the hourglass runs out. In recent years, The History Channel has given them a forum to make their case.

Forgotten History: World Ages and Their Demise

Did the continent of Atlantis really exist? Before the story of our past got a makeover during the British Empire, conventional wisdom held that humankind had been created and destroyed several times. Here's a look at what classical literature says about these epochs, including what might happen when the current Iron Age ends.

Ancient Method for Calculating Cataclysms

Every 26,000 years, the wobbling Earth causes the zodiac constellations to slip backwards in a circle around the night sky. Early civilizations placed a lot of stock in this cycle, referring to it again and again in their legends and mythology. Could this "Precession of the Equinoxes" hold the key to periodic human extinctions?

The Mayan Calendar and Prophecy

While everyone has their opinion about what will transpire on December 21, 2012, two questions remain. Why did the ancient Olmecs create a 5,125-year "long count" calendar in the first place? And why were the Mayans so obsessed with the "Dark Rift" at the center of the Milky Way?

Predictions for the Present Day

From the Cumean Sybil in Rome, to the Hopi Indians, Nostradamus and Edgar Cayce, a confluence of warnings suggests that the mother of all cataclysms may strike in the 21st century. Here's a rundown of these forecasts, including Cayce's vision of coming tectonic shifts.

Did Alien Visitors Rescue Humans from a Past Extinction Event ?

When Erich von Daniken published his controversial book Chariots of the Gods in 1968, he didn't know about the predictions for 2012. Today, the possibility that aliens traveled here after previous mega-disasters takes on a whole new meaning.

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Apocalypse 2012?
The History, Science and Prophecies of Mega-Disasters

Comet Strikes, the Great Flood and Other Past Cataclysms

Just as the legends about a Great Flood turned out to be true, geologists have deduced that many other apocalyptic fish tales told in antiquity aresupported by the fossil record and forensic geology.

(A fire in Yosemite - 9/1/9.)

Geologic Upheaval on Tap

There's a lot of talk about the dwindling population of polar bears, but global warming is just the prelude to other threats brewing on the horizon. An ice age in the northern hemisphere, dead zones in the ocean, a surge of volcanism, and the release of deadly methane gases are already being tracked by university teams around the world.

Yellowstone Supervolcano Ready to Rumble

A caldera the size of Tokyo simmers fitfully beneath Yellowstone National Park, connected to the Earth's molten mantle. Geologists like Robert Smith and Bill McGuire have warned that when this supervolcano blows, life will never be the same. And it's not the only caldera gurgling in the western states, either.

Next Peak in Sunspot Cycle: Is the Power Grid Safe?

In 1859 a massive solar flare struck the Earth's atmosphere, disabling the telegraph system and creating auroras along the equator. Now that the infrastructure of modern society is dependent on lightweight satellites and centralized power grids, a similar event could cripple entire countries for years. With the next peak in the sunspot cycle due to start in 2012, what's the plan?

Something Gamma This Way Comes

Is the reduction of solar wind allowing cosmic rays to breach the heliosphere? A Russian astrophysicist is adamant that the Earth and other planets are already feeling the heat from deep sapce. Meanwhile, 6,000 light years away, a star called WR104 looks like it's on the verge of exploding. Depending on the trajectory of the gamma ray burst, our planet could get soaked in acid rain and subjected to a nuclear winter. How do you prepare for something like that?

Compilation of 2012 Articles, DVDs, Books and Websites2012 Survival Guide

The Mega-Disaster Planner

What is the 2012 Doomsday Prediction?