Everywhere you look, you see the theories about the world’s end to come up
today. Some scientific websites also claim that there were mayan drawings
discovered that prophesy the world’s end at the very day today. But what
makes all these people so sure, that the world is going to end today? Why?

Let’s have a look on the mayan calendar system, shall we?

The mayan calendar is based on a duodecimal system while the second last of the 5 sections only counts to 17. So the mayan people used a similar system to the chinese one.

Now you may ask why the second last digit only counts from zero to 17? Well, multiply 20 18 times, what do you get? Right, 360 which is near equal to our modern calender, based on a 365.25 day system (hence every four years, a year consists of 366 days)

So the date today marks the end of the 12th baktun period which is noted down as 12.19.19.17.19

A short description how the mayan calendar system is working:

• Each “month” consists of 20 “days”
• Each “year” consists of 18 “months”
• Each short cycle consists of 20 “years”
• Each long cycle consists of 20 short cycles

• a “day” is called k’in
• a “month” is called uinal
• a “year” is called tun
• a short cycle is called k’atun
• a long cycle is called baktun

If you sum up all days of the mayan calendar from it’s very beginning (144’000×12 + 7’200×19 +  360×19 + 18×17 + 19),

then you’ll estimate 5200 mayan years or 5125 astronomical years  based upon the modern solar system measurement. So whatever comes, the mayan people started calendering in the year 3113 BC (approx.). The exact date is dated August 11^th, 3114 BC (but only mentionned by historical books so please don’t nail me with this date!)

So what does the date mean anyways? Why all the terror about the world’s end?

Well, each baktun seemed to have started an event in mayan history where big wars and the like have devastated (not destroyed!) earth or some deity has come down to earth bringing either salvation or damnation to the people.

So that’s why people think, that today something special will happen again, as the 12 baktun is going to end.

What does today mean to you? Do you believe, the world is going to drown in an apocalyptic chaos?

I don’t think so!