Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson debunks the 2012 Mayan Apocalypse by exploring (in tweets) the underlying science and lack of science literacy behind it. He made some great skeptical points, so I storified his tweets and moved them here.
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Things you might say if you flunked Astro101: “The Mayans knew more about the universe than do modern-day scientists” -
Things you might say if you flunked Astro101: “Planet Niburu is real and is headed toward Earth.”
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In other words, the following graphic is nonsense:
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Things you might say if you flunked Astro101: “The world will end on December 21, 2012.”
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Hard to take science cues from the Maya, who never discovered the wheel, and who sacrificed animals to satisfy gods.
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Hard to take seriously predictions about the end of the world from the Maya, a culture that could not predict its own demise
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Worried about “Solar Max”? It’s next year, not in 2012. Peaking every 11 years, this one is expected to be milder than most.
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Worried about the alignment of Earth, the Sun, and the Galactic Center on Dec 21st? An “event” as common as your birthday.
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On December 22, 2012, I wonder what next “end-of-world” hoax will join the list of failed predictions: bit.ly/uQn42D
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Failing to Predict the End of the WorldYou will most likely be hearing a lot about the end of the world this year. However, the recent bout of 2012 doomsday delusions is merely…0
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Get Rich Quick: If you fail to convince your friends the world won’t end, then offer to relieve them of their needless wealth
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We know we are right because we did the research to justify it. It’s “badassitude”.
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The world needs more “badassitude” — the state of knowing you’re right because you did the required research to justify it.
Neil deGrasse Tyson is absolutely THE man! :D
i liek dis man he maek good think inside brain 8D
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Does Neil deGrasse know this.. The Maya never prophesied the end of the world on December 21st.. ???
Only that a 26,000 year cycle on which one of their calendar systems was based on, would come to an end.
As far as predictions go.. They wrote all their observations and findings in a 74 page almanac called The Dresden Codex which are just a set of mere observations containing predictions and information on rainy seasons, floods, illness and medicine. It also seems to show conjunctions of constellations, planets and the Moon, including of which their last great astronomical prediction of Dec 21st 2012 marking the end of their calendar system based on the 26,000 year cycle.. Our Earth, Moon and Sun will be directly in line with the centre of our galaxy and the Milky Way and hidden behind the constellation of Ophicius.. ‘The Serpent’. – The forbidden 13th Zodiac for the first time since the last one, apparently 26,000 years ago
On the run up to the date of Dec 21st 2012, the Dresden Codex predicted great astronomical events, some natural disasters involving Earthquakes, Hurricanes and Flooding including random activities of the Sun.. All of which have been occurring all around us and even more so in the last decade and something that can’t be denied.
And that’s it.. No end of the World..
If Neil deGrasse or anyone else didn’t know that.. then he’s not quite the man that you make him out to be..
I’m sure Tyson knows the Mayans didn’t really predict the apocalypse in their writings, but everyone thinks they did, so he feels compelled to dispel the claims.