Grace Shin, Wirter

Billions of years have passed since the creation of the Earth, and it continues to deteriorate year after year. According to the Mayan Calendar, Dec. 21 is doomsday, and some scientists have strongly supported this theory with persuasive evidence. Similarly, I have concluded that there is a high possibility the world will come to a cataclysmic end this month.

With such panic and hype running about, the movie industry has collaborated to shock its audience with advanced technology and distressing visuals to add to the theme of “Armageddon.” People have taken note of these different hypotheses and contemplated on the different possibilities of the world ending. A representative Hollywood movie that stirred quite some trepidation was “2012,” a 2009 science-fiction film illustrating the breakdown of earth and the suspenseful struggle of the remaining survivors. Many viewers expressed their fear or ridiculed this theory on Social Networking Services (SNS).

Before the world submerges in monstrous roars of waves and burns with blazing flames, I believe we should all prepare before hand. In almost every end-of-the-world movie, the survivors always make it to the top of the mountains or fly out of earth on jet packs. However, I find this unrealistic. Imagine the Himalayas, covered by blankets of fire rapidly swallowing tall trees with its scorching flames. Imagine the drowning polar bears in the North Pole barely grabbing onto the melting icebergs, and the earth just vibrating vigorously from the excessive water flooding its lands.

While movies are just a glimpse at end of the world ideas, some scientists revealed their ideologies and supported their thoughts with the Mayan calendar as evidence.

The Mayans, prominent for their advanced grasp on astronomy, divided their astronomical calendar into five,126 year cycles, and through different calculations, found that Dec. 21, 2012 will be the date of the apocalypse.

Numerous theories have been made to explain how the world will come to an end. The first is the collision with Planet X. Many theorists have come to the conclusion that during the winter solstice, Earth and the mysterious Planet X will indeed collide and altogether destroy the human race.

With intensifying natural disasters and global warming agitating the fatalists, scientists have stated that the rising temperature will soon melt the polar ice caps within the North pole and consequently flood large areas of land, kill marine life, and contaminate fresh water.

With the number of portentous phenomena increasing we have already seen some of the beginning stages that scientists speak of. The first six months of this year have been recorded as the warmest in human history. Global warming has deviated from its ordinary seasonal characteristics: America has suffered from low flowing rivers, drought, and death of livestock. On Oct. 30, Super storm Sandy slammed the Mid-Atlantic, Jamaica, Haiti, the Bahamas, and the Northeast Coast of North America. The thought of a second evolution for humans assembled as mutated butterflies were discovered in Japan with smaller wings, malformed eyes, and antennas on Aug. 13.  In addition, multiple earthquakes with a magnitude of seven or higher on the Richter scale have taken place this year in countries such as Guatemala, Canada, Myanmar, and Russia.

When typhoon Bolaven hit Korea, my family went a bit overboard in the process of preparing. We collected stacks of wet newspapers to attach onto our glass windows to prevent them from breaking. We bought loads of instant food, such as ramen, crackers, nutrition bars along with a two-month supply of water. We made sure we had all our valuables, such as pictures, emergency money, and clothes in one big bag in front of the door in case the typhoon barged into our house. As we were shaking in apprehension under unpredictable conditions, we continued to pray.

Similarly, if doomsday is bound to come, I would prepare correspondingly.  Instead of staying at my life-threatening house though, I would take my family to the apartment’s basement floor. All apartments include a basement floor in case of natural disasters or war. If you are wise enough to prepare before Dec. 21, contact your security guards, be aware of your nearest basement floor, and be ready to dash out of your house.