Listen up here is the real deal from a scientific stand point. The Galactic Alignment is the secret behind all the fuss. It is the alignment of the December solstice sun with the Galactic equator. This alignment occurs as a result of the precession of the equinoxes.

Precession is caused by the earth wobbling very slowly on its axis and shifts the position of the equinoxes and solstices one degree every 71.5 years. Because the sun is one-half of a degree wide, it will take the December solstice sun 36 years to precess through the Galactic equator.

The precise alignment of the solstice point (the precise center-point of the body of the sun as viewed from earth) with the Galactic equator was calculated to occur in 1998 (Jean Meeus, Mathematical Astronomy Morsels, 1997).

Thus, the Galactic Alignment "zone" is 1998 +/- 18 years = 1980 - 2016. This is "era-2012."

This Galactic Alignment occurs only once every 26,000 years, and was what the ancient Maya were pointing to with the 2012 end-date of their Long Count calendar.

Then people begin to speculate if a polar shift could be caused by this alignment of the solstic point, sun and earth.

Has anybody thought that maybe the guy who was making the calenders just went outside for a smoke when he got to 2012, and fell off his temple, have you seen how high them Mayan temples are? nobody else was going to finish them, who were they goona sell them to?

This is not only about the Mayan calendar. There are many different disciplines of knowledge involved in the theme. Many other people have tuned into this date. Terence McKenna and his novelty theory and Ananda Bosman and his new Universe theory. People of all ages, religions and places are tuning into this date. What is is in the human consciousness that is doing it? Biologist Rupert Sheldrake has some answers. Google the precession movement of the Earth. Research James McCanney. And Immanuel Velikosvky and his World in Collision theories and Dr. Paul LaViolette.

There is a lot of scientific data about the solar system changes, most of it from Russian scientists. And there is even a Russian astronaut that confirms Planet X, Marina Popovich.

And please, leave Wikipedia out of this... it i definitely not your best resource.

If the world ends...

What does it matter what we think.

So stop stressing about something in the future.

Be happy and fulfilled today.

It's to do with the Mayan calendar

There is a supposed end-date to the calendar on December 21, 2012. Because of this, some people have interpreted this to mean it will be the "end of the world" (however you interpret that).

You can find out more information at this Wikipedia article

I guess there's no point buying Christmas presents that year then ;)

I wouldn't worry about it. There have been people claiming that the world is going to end since the world began - and they'll continue to find excuses to keep doing it as long as it grabs attention from others.

It's just doom-mongering usually with some kind of hidden agenda behind it like "see our movie", "watch our news programme", "buy my book" or "believe what we believe".

The world was supposedly going to go into meltdown at Y2K - nothing happened and nothing much will happen in 2012 either.

Like Barry says, it has to do with the Mayan calendar. Some who have studied it believe that 2012 will be the end of the world. Others say that the world won't end, but an era and the world will begin anew with the people holding different values and views, to take it in a new direction.

The coming of the One World Order ???

Many people talk about it in a subdued manner

There are certainly many things out there which suggest that this may the wishes of certain people who have the desire to dominate and control every aspect of humanity on the plannet.

Which corresponds with commens of target dates for :

Europe becoming one country

The USA, Mexico and Canada becoming one country

Asia and the middle east becomming one country

But hey time will tell .... I might have passed away from natural caused by then

Because nowadays TV and movies, not to forget the Internet are the media through which all information is disseminated and, fast at that. The movie is out, so now everybody is waiting..., ... Not so fast ... It may my end and very many of us end but not the end of the world. That's where metaphysics trumps religion, in my view.

Don't buy into the fear factor some people use fear to control people. Fear factor can save you from danger but it can also be use to huddle you into a belief system they have design to control you. Jesus came that we may have life and life abundanlty. Have faith in your creator God "that I am" an be thankful for each day that you are blessed with. Take no fear of tomorrow but enjoy today and be the best you can be today and be thankful of your many blessings. Help others as you can and as you see a smile upon their face you will smile to. The bible says no man knows when the end time is. Besides the world in time may not coinside with your end time. Remove the spirit of fear from your mind and inhale wisdom of God and love. Peace be with you. Hold on to the fact that you are love deeply by God.

We should not be worried about 2012; in fact we should be eagerly awaiting this extraordinary phenomenon. Yes it is the 26,000 year cycle of the Mayan calendar, and also the Vedic calendar which is the (Hindu calendar), and because from when this calendar started there have been no known survivors from the previous cycle, hence the assumption that we would face the same fate. And it has to do with the aligning of the planets, which is true. The studies regarding these two ancient civilizations have shown that they had amazing technology which peaked and then all went quiet. Fortunately for us we still have the Vedic texts which have survived thousands of years, but unfortunately the Mayan texts were destroyed. These texts help us to get an insight into the past.

But what is really exciting is that many people who study these calendars, forecast that technology will peak, and saturate, and that we have already entered a new phase of consciousness and awareness which is accelerating, and around the that time we would start to experience the flowering of this consciousness, so we should look forward to commune with a “Higher Being”, in a broader perspective.

Well now, just imagine for a moment that it were true..would you live your life any differently? Would you perhaps be more altruistic? ..be more true to yourself?

There was and always will be "doom and gloom" end of the world theories throughout the history of men. If you research all the "end of the world" theories of the past, they're always within a very short time. If someone were to predict that the world was going to end in 150 years, who would pay attention? Its always more interesting when the event is right around the corner. Anyone recall the Y2K?

As Brian indicated, there is substance behind all the hype and distortion. I would add that if you look at a cross section view of the galaxy it is plate shaped (like our solar system, and there is a mid-point. Our solar system is moving in one of the spiral arms and not only spins along with it, but also traverses up and down, going from one side of the "plate" to the other, which takes many thousands of years to accomplish. We have already entered into this phase of going through the densest section where the gravitational forces are the strongest and this will peak at 2012. This is also the motor which drives our global warming phase, having little to do with our polluting ways (but we still need to stop poisoning our water and air).

People are assuming it's the end times. The date has to do with many cultures' understanding of cycles of time. Astrologers use the precession of the Equinoxes. This is a Mayan calendar date. and it's just that, a calendar. And just like you always do, you go out and buy a new calendar for the next segment of time. There will be a 2013, etc.

Love your answer Pete!! You bet! How little we know!! LOL!!

If there is a prominent event in this world, first we need to think about the scientific reason for that event and second, also need to consider spiritual creation; first or inner creation for that. I believe there is always a reason or principle for a certain event and a certain programming for that event in a spiritual world and finally it will be manifested in the human world. I am not really sure that the exact time; year 2012 is the end of this world but I can see the ending time of this civilization is very much near. But I don’t believe this is an end of this world or Earth. There are lots of prophecies mentioned about this but I hardly see the core scientific reason or fully explained principle for this event and appropriate solution for this crucial time.

For anyone living in the UK. There is a 'Mystery of the Mayan Calendar' workshop at the Mind Body and Soul Exhibition in Cambridge this month.

I wonder why so many people here want "scientific" anwsers. I've thought it is spiritually oriented website...

Unless spirituality starts to have greater meaning, our development (human development) won't go any further.

Personally I think we are just beginning to wake up to who we really are and the realization of what we have done to each other and the Earth as a Whole. I think 2012 is going to be a major shift in the awakening of humanity as a whole and a worldwide flowering of this consciousness.

I could answer that with one word MARKETING, 2012 is big it sells! Movies and books and videos tv shows with interviews plus tons on the net and seminars. Now was this created just to market something IE make money off of the public? No I knew about 2012 back when it was not popular and Ian Xel Lungold was trying to be heard and could only dream of the popularity 2012 has now.

I have Ian's DVDs and in his seminars he used to give he said 2012 is not an end but a beginning he said we go infinite on 2012 or as we would say today quantum. Everything would instantly manifest with every thought, everything keeps speeding up technology keeps speeding up so something new is invented every moment now but he says it will go quantum in 2012.

Now do I believe this? It seems unlikely at least from our present right now, this is the same man that predicted we would have "Free Energy" by now. So for me even though he claimed to have decoded the Mayan text and he was native and accepted into the Mayan deeper understanding. I really believe it is a wait and see thing We Just Don't Know.

That wasn't so hard to say now was it? ;-)

It is the reason I wanted to see if someone could remote view it to get a sneak peek and find out early. Anyway that date is coming in just 3 years from now so we'll know soon. It just seems like it is dragging getting here like "Come on already! I have been hearing of this for years! Lets get this date over with already!" lol

An another kind answer:

"And in this great world, we, children of a world grotesquely smoll,

Raise upon out tiny planet anthills to o'ertop the All.

Lilliputian kings and people, soldiers, unread, erudite,

We engender generations, reckoning ourselves full bright!

One-day moths upon a mudball measurable with the chip,

We rotate in the great vastness and forget 'twixt cup and lip

That this world is really nothing but a moment caught in light,

That behind, or else before it, all that one can see is night.

Just like whirls of dust and powder thousands of live granules play

In a glorious ray's dominion and pass over with the ray.

Thus against the never-failing night ot time without a bound,

The spontaneous ray, the moment, still fails not to go the round;

When it dies, all dies - like shadows melting in the murky distance

For the universe chimeric is a dream of non-existence."

                 * * *

Fragment from "First Epistle" of Mihai Eminescu (1850-1889), the greatest poet of Romanians, of all the times. From tome "Poezii - Poems" (Bilingve edition) by Mihai Eminescu. Editura Teora SRL, 2007, Bucharest, Romania

I don't believe it and I wouldn't worry about it. I believe that something will be changed since people know more about the human mind and possibilities resulting from it. There were already a few dates concerning the end of the world....

Why would God create something and destroy it too? This is off-topic but it just entered my mind.

Let’s be practical, seriously, do you really think the world is going to end in 2012? As you can recall the world was going to end in the year 2000, and we are still here in this same world living, and enjoying our lives. And guess what: talking about the same topic!

So my point is: what is so different about this specific year 2012, and why do some people still think the world is going to end in 2012? But the real question is does any of us really knows when, and if this world is really coming to, or is going to end?

The truth is: I do not think that anyone knows the correct answer or the specifics of time, and place of this accourance, if any. Although this topic, does makes a good conversation piece exploring the reality of the future, and the coming of the ending of the world, if be.

But let us dig a little deeper into this aspect: the bible teaches that Jesus walked this earth 2,000.00 years ago, and he will come again 2,000.00 years later! But the scriptures did not give a specific time of the coming of Christ. Generally speaking in essence, what does this all means? Is the world really going to end with the coming of Christ, or can we flip the script to say we will have a new beginning when Christ for his world.

On a more positive note, I personally believe that the year 2012 is going to bring about some definite changes worldwide, both from the way in which we live in our environment, and we will see some general changes in the overall growth of our economy, advancement in modern technology, and health care. Humanity will begin to feel more prosperous, there will more harmony to go around, and the trust level among the people will increase. We will see a coming together among the human race like we have never seen before, peace, love, and unity. These are my thoughts for the year 2012, looking on the bright side of things.

People have been saying the end times or end of the world since "revelations" was written. People believe that the world will end because they don't think for themselves and they would rather listen to some "authority" on ancient studies. like the Mayan Calendar.

I have a feeling..... 2012 will be an awakening. There will be an end to the world but only the world as we know it. A new consciousness will arise because the monetary system will inevitably implode. It's a mathematical equation with a resolution that is pre-destined.

We're being fed that the GFC is over. I don't think Argentina or Iceland would agree.

Hollywood shouldn't even enter into this discussion. I don't understand how it can even be considered - Hollywood make MOVIES - Not documentaries. Fictitional, dramatic pieces of entertainment that have one purpose - to make money. 2012 follows the same tired old formula for bland, mind-numbing entertainment. The plot reeks of familiarity.... the hero makes it back with his missus whose partner/husband/lover/man-of-the-moment dies and there's hardly a tear for him - she's straight back to the man she left who has incredibly undergone some major change OR she's just realised what a top bloke he was all along. Just about everyone else dies a horrible, inescapable death.

Oh please......haven't we seen this movie plot in every other end-of-the-world, disaster movie? How can anyone swallow this crap? How can it enter such a forum? Shouldn't it be on a world worst movies website?

We are evolving at a rate of knots. I'm freakin' excited - I can hardly wait for 2012.

narrow mindedness. The world with in cannot end even if the physical world does end.