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A group of astrologers in London predicted the world would end by a flood starting in London, based on calculations made the previous June. Twenty thousand Londoners left their homes and headed for higher ground in anticipation.
- Overview
- Related: Origins of the Universe
No matter how you interpret the latest cosmic signs, history tells us people don’t have the best track record at predicting the apocalypse.
As viral videos and various tabloids tell it, September 23, 2017, will mark the end of an age. Depending on your taste, the date will either bring forth a collision between Earth and a rogue planet or a world-changing celestial alignment that heralds the End of Days.
A word of historical and scientific advice: Don't cancel your plans for the rest of September.
Both space-tinged doomsday prophecies reflect two separate efforts from evangelical Christian groups, neither of which enjoy broad support among Christians.
One of the claims, championed by self-published author David Meade of Wisconsin, says that on September 23, Earth will encounter a supposed rogue planet called Nibiru, according to his disputed work on Biblical numerology.
Meade’s prediction is the latest spin on the Nibiru conspiracy theory, with roots dating back to the 1970s. Originally, this rogue planet was supposed to collide with Earth in 2003. However, an uncooperative cosmos forced conspiracy theorists to reschedule for 2012. (See artists' miniature models imagine a world without humans.)
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The nickname for this cosmic object—the Sunflower galaxy—is no coincidence: The arrangement of the spiral arms in the galaxy Messier 63, seen here in an image from the Hubble Space Telescope, recalls the pattern at the center of a sunflower.
The nickname for this cosmic object—the Sunflower galaxy—is no coincidence: The arrangement of the spiral arms in the galaxy Messier 63, seen here in an image from the Hubble Space Telescope, recalls the pattern at the center of a sunflower.
Photograph by NASA Goddard
Editor's note: This story has been updated.
Jan 23, 2024 · The Doomsday Clock that has been ticking for 77 years is no ordinary clock — it attempts to gauge how close humanity is to destroying the world. On Tuesday, the clock was again set at 90 seconds...
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Sep 26, 2017 · People have predicted the end of the world since ancient days, and this past September 23 was no exception. The Internet was alight with a doomsday prediction that billed this past Saturday...
Sep 24, 2023 · This conspiracy theory claims that the world will end on September 23, based on how often it's been referenced in movies, TV shows, music videos, and ads.
Jan 23, 2024 · The Doomsday Clock - which shows how symbolically close the world is to nuclear Armageddon - is to remain at 90 seconds to midnight. Scientists have listed reasons for keeping its hands the ...
Jan 23, 2024 · The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists announced on Jan. 23 that the hands of the Doomsday Clock will remain at 90 seconds to midnight—the closest it has ever been to apocalypse. Every year, the Bulletin determines how much metaphorical time we have to avert catastrophe for humankind.
