2012

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For the upcoming film, see 2012 (film).
For Doomsday predictions centered on December 21, 2012, see 2012 Doomsday prediction.


Millennium: 3rd millennium
Centuries: 20th century - 21st century - 22nd century
Decades: 1980s  1990s  2000s  - 2010s -  2020s  2030s  2040s
Years: 2009 2010 2011 - 2012 - 2013 2014 2015
2012 by topic:
News by month
Jan - Feb - Mar - Apr - May - Jun
Jul - Aug - Sep - Oct - Nov - Dec
Arts
Architecture - Art - Film - Home video - Literature (Poetry) - Music (Country, Metal, UK) - Radio - Television
Politics
Elections - Int'l leaders - Politics - State leaders - Sovereign states
Science and technology
Archaeology - Aviation - Birding/Ornithology - Meteorology - Rail transport - Science - Spaceflight
Sports
Sport - Athletics (Track and Field) - Australian Football League - Baseball - Football (soccer) - Ice Hockey - Motorsport - Tennis - National Rugby League
By place
Argentina - Australia - Canada - European Union - France - India - Iraq - Ireland - Japan - Kenya - Luxembourg - Malaysia - Mexico - New Zealand - Norway - Pakistan - Singapore - South Africa - Sri Lanka - United Kingdom - United States - Zimbabwe
Other topics
Awards - Games - Law - Religious leaders - Video gaming
Birth and death categories
Births - Deaths
Establishments and disestablishments categories
Establishments - Disestablishments
Works and introductions categories
Works - Introductions
v • d • e
2012 in other calendars
Gregorian calendar 2012
MMXII
Ab urbe condita 2765
Armenian calendar 1461
ԹՎ ՌՆԿԱ
Bahá'í calendar 168 – 169
Berber calendar 2962
Buddhist calendar 2556
Burmese calendar 1374
Byzantine calendar 7520 – 7521
Chinese calendar 辛卯年十二月初八日
(4648/4708-12-8)
— to —
壬辰年十一月十九日
(4649/4709-11-19)
Coptic calendar 1728 – 1729
Ethiopian calendar 2004 – 2005
Hebrew calendar 5772 – 5773
Hindu calendars
 - Vikram Samvat 2067 – 2068
 - Shaka Samvat 1934 – 1935
 - Kali Yuga 5113 – 5114
Holocene calendar 12012
Iranian calendar 1390 – 1391
Islamic calendar 1433 – 1434
Japanese calendar Heisei 24
(平成24年)
Korean calendar 4345
Thai solar calendar 2555
Unix time 1325376000 – 1356998399
v • d • e

2012 (MMXII) will be a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar.

Contents

Predicted and scheduled events

January

February

April

  • April 1 - The United States Census of 1940 data is released to the public.
  • April 17 - The United States will cede wartime control of the military of the Republic of Korea after 50 years and dissolve the Combined Forces Command. Two distinct military commands (South Korea and the United States) will operate in Korea during wartime, rather than one unified command under the Combined Forces Command.

May

June

July

August

September

November

December

  • December 23 - The alternative date for the completion of the thirteenth b'ak'tun cycle in the Maya calendar, using a version of the GMT-correlation based on a JDN of 584285 (a.k.a. the "astronomical" or "Lounsbury correlation"), which is supported by a smaller number of Mayanist researchers.[7]
  • December 31 - The Kyoto Protocol will expire.

Unknown dates

Geophysical and cosmological

John Major Jenkins and others[12] believe that an alignment will occur when the sun rises above the horizon on December 21 2012, at which point the sun will rise in the middle of the Milky Way Galaxy, thus causing an alignment between the earth, sun, and the Galactic Center.[13] It is suggested that this event will cause numerous changes on Earth. However, the event is only a visual phenomenon from the Earth's perspective, which is caused by the precession of the equinoxes or the 26,000 year wobble of the earth, and thus only changes our perspective, not the actual position of the earth in relation to the galaxy. In short, there is no gravitational force or radiation that can be expected from this event because other than the tilt of the earth; nothing will be any different from what occurs during any other solstice. [14][15][16]

Michael Tsarion [17] and others think that an actual physical alignment of our entire solar system will occur with the horizontal plane of the Milky Way Galaxy on that day. The solar system is moving around the center of the galaxy every 225 million years or so, and while doing so is moving up and down in a cycle crossing the plane every 33 million years. According to the Journal Nature, however, there is evidence of the solar system crossing the galactic plane 3 million years ago. This would mean that we are moving away from the galactic plane, not toward it, and we will not be due to cross it for another 30 million years.[18]

There are also hypotheses that a currently unknown planet, sometimes referred to as planet X or Nibiru, which has an odd orbit that only enters the local solar system every 3600 years will return in 2012 causing many problems. [19] The idea is traced back to Zecharia Sitchin's translations of Sumerian texts, and specifically to his interpretation of the VA 243 cylinder seal, which he says shows that the Sumerians knew of 12 planets (sun, moon, and ten others). This idea has been challenged by his peers, most notably Michael Heiser.[20][21]

Among other possible predicted scenarios is that a shift of the Earth's magnetic poles may occur, and that this will leave the earth vulnerable to harmful radiation from the sun.[22] According to NASA magnetic pole reversal does not occur on a particular day or year, but over the course of thousands of years. Furthermore, the magnetic field does not vanish during this natural cycle, but becomes more complex as it makes the transition.[23]

Some proponents of the pole shift scenario claim that this shift would be a physical movement of the poles of the earth, and not simply a magnetic shift. This event is called a true polar wander. Earth has experienced a few degree shift in the past, but nowhere near a reversal, and there is no reason to suggest this is likely or even possible. According to William Sager, a Texas A&M Oceanographer, this event could not happen on a particular day or year but only over a long period of time. [24]

Recently, two large "leaks" have been identified in Earth's magnetic field, with interaction to solar wind opposite to that of previous predictions. Solar storms of the next solar maximum, in 2012, are predicted to potentially cause electricity grid disruptions and blackouts, as well as possible disruptions to artificial satellites.[25]

Metaphysical

See also: 2012 Doomsday prediction

2012 is predicted by some with New Age beliefs to be a great year of spiritual transformation (or alternatively an apocalypse). This is in keeping with an uncodified, eclectic belief system referred to as Mayanism whose roots can be found in 16th century Christian eschatology affecting Maya texts such as the Popol Vuh and the Books of Chilam Balam that were written down after the Spanish Conquest. There is disagreement among believers whether 2012 will see an end of civilization or whether humanity will be elevated to a "higher" level.[26]. This latter belief represents a contemporary manifestation of models for human progress that derive from 19th century unilineal evolution.

Many esoteric sources[who?] interpret the completion of the thirteenth B'ak'tun cycle in the Long Count of the Maya calendar (which occurs on December 21 by the most widely held correlation) to mean there will be a major change in world order.

Several authors have published works which suspect that a major, world-changing event will take place in 2012:

  • The 1997 book The Bible Code by Michael Drosnin suggests that, according to certain algorithms of the Bible code, an asteroid or comet will collide with the Earth. Drosnin also states in his book that the Bible code only predicts possibilities.
  • The 2006 book 2012: The Return of Quetzalcoatl by Daniel Pinchbeck discusses theories of a possible global awakening to psychic connection by the year 2012, creating a noosphere.
  • Riley Martin asserts that Biaviian aliens will allow passage aboard their 'Great Mother Ship' when the Earth is 'transformed' in 2012.
  • Terence McKenna's numerological novelty theory suggests a point of singularity in which humankind will go through a great shift in consciousness.
  • Dannion Brinkley, in his 2007 book, Secrets of the Light, a follow-up to his 1995 bestseller Saved by the Light, predicts "that by the year 2012 humanity will experience unprecedented mental and spiritual transformations, coinciding precisely with the Earth's passage through great physical upheaval" (Brinkley 96).[27]

Major religious holidays

2012 in fiction

Literature

  • Methuselah's Children (1941/1958) and Time Enough for Love (1973) by Robert A. Heinlein: A crucial meeting of the Howard Families takes place, following the election of Nehemiah Scudder for president of the USA. In both novels, viewpoint character Lazarus Long is asked what happened at this meeting as he is the last living eyewitness; in both novels he declines to answer. Nehemiah Scudder establishes a religious dictatorship in the USA.
  • Decipher (2001) by Stel Pavlou depicts the discovery of Atlantis and a polar shift being caused by solar flare activity.
  • Domain (2002) and Resurrection (2000) by author Steve Alten: A fictional series that tells the events of the Gabriel twins after discovering the mystery behind 2012.
  • 2012: The War for Souls by author Whitley Strieber (2007) is a fictional novel about three parallel earths and the occurrences leading up to December 21, 2012 in each as the walls between them begin to thin and allow passage through gateways to the others. A film adaptation is proposed, produced by Michael Bay. [28]

Comics

  • The Invisibles ("The Invisible Kingdom," 1999–2000): The Invisibles' "fictional" universe expands into the meta-context of the "higher universe," possibly our own.
  • Jojo's Bizarre Adventure by Hirohiko Araki: In the 6th part of this manga, the protagonists Jolyne Kujo, Hermes, Emporio, Anasui and Weather Report have to stop the villain Enrico Pucci from erasing the universe. Pucci obtains the stand Stairway to Heaven, which has the power of rewriting the universe, and tries to use the stand to create the perfect world for his master Dio. All these events occur in 2012, with the current universe ending near the completion of the thirteenth cycle of the Mayan calendar.

Music

  • "A Certain Shade of Green," a song from the Incubus album S.C.I.E.N.C.E., references 2012 in the following lines: Are you gonna stand around till 2012 A.D.? / What are you waiting for, a certain shade of green?. December 21, 2012 also appears to be the date when the video for the song "Warning" is supposed to take place.
  • Genesis's song Get'em Out By Friday from their 1972 album Foxtrot, sets "18/9/2012" (on the printed operistic-dialog lyrics) as the date when "Genetic Control" would set a height restriction on human beings so that twice as many people could fit on real estate properties.
  • The Hed PE song "I.F.O." (to be found on their self-titled album), which is about UFO sightings and governmental conspiracies to cover them up, references the year 2012: "Prepare to meet your maker in the skies over the pyramids / Check Stonehenge / Go ask the Mayans / 2012 soon come / I will be waitin' sayin' I told you so / When the skies are ripped open / And the mothership lands on your cynical ass".
  • Stones Throw Records artist Dudley Perkins released his LP, entitled 'Expressions (2012 A.U.)', in 2006
  • The instrumental song "December 21, 2012" by Frodus, which appears as a B-side to their best-selling 7" vinyl single of their Devo cover "Explosions" (Released 1997).
  • The Anaal Nathrakh song "Timewave Zero" is about the apparent end of the world on December 21, 2012. The lyrics are translated as "The 21st Of December, 2012, The time will come"
  • The A Day To Remember song "Fast Forward to 2012" refers to the world ending in 2012 as a warning for friends to do something to prepare.
  • British nu-rave outfit Klaxons sing about apocalyptic horsemen in their song "Four Horsemen Of 2012" from the 2007 album Myths of the Near Future.
  • The song "2012 — Demise of the 5th Sun" by the melodic death metal band Scar Symmetry is a reference to the year 2012. "For the lines on the fractal wave / Fit the course of history / They're created to work as one till the end / When the winter solstice comes / Actualizing the prophecy / The demise in 2012 realized"
  • The Testament song "3 Days in Darkness", off of The Gathering album is a song about 2012, and speaks of the earth being swallowed in molten fire.
  • VNV Nation's album Praise The Fallen" has the subtitle "PTF 2012", which is also the name of a track in the album, which seems to be predominantly about an upcoming war. The song, "Honour" starts with the line, "Passive fields, January 2012..."
  • Heavy metal band Burnt By The Sun's two albums both deal with prophecies concerning the year 2012.
  • "2012" is the name of the 2005 album by the experimental rock band Old Time Relijun, and several songs make references to ancient Mayan culture, such as "Burial Mound" and "The King of Lost Light."
  • On the band Hella's album There's No 666 in Outer Space there is a track called "2012 and Countless" in which the only words are "There's no 666 in Outer Space" repeated.
  • Metal band Ewigkeit's album Radio Ixtlan has a track entitled "Live at Palenque 2012" referencing both the Mayan calendar date and the site at which the Temple of Inscriptions where it is carved.
  • Canibus mentions the year 2012 and December 21, 2012 on his Poet Laureate Infinity vocals and on his 2007 album For Whom the Beat Tolls.
  • Industrial metal band Hanzel und Gretyl's fifth album is called 2012: Zwanzig Zwölf referencing the belief that the world will end in this year, as foretold in the Mesoamerican Long Count calendar.
  • On DJ Muggs & Sick Jacken's album Legend of the Mask and the Assassin, they "prophetize" armageddon and other catastrophic events occurring in "2012 (feat. Cynic)."

Film

Television

Games

Radio

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Near Earth Object Fact Sheet
  2. ^ Homepage - London 2012
  3. ^ United States Naval Observatory (2007-01-28). "Earth's Seasons: Equinoxes, Solstices, Perihelion, and Aphelion, 2000-2020". http://aa.usno.navy.mil/data/docs/EarthSeasons.php. 
  4. ^ See Finley (2002), Houston (1989, pp.49–51), Miller and Taube (1993, pp.50–52), Voss (2006, p.138), Wagner (2006, pp.281–283). Note that Houston 1989 mistakenly writes "3113 BC" (when "-3113" is meant), and Miller and Taube 1993's mention of "2 August" is a (presumed) erratum.
  5. ^ Wagner (2006, p.281; also ill.443).
  6. ^ Schele, L. and Freidel, D., A forest of Kings: The Untold Stody of the Ancient Maya (Quill, 1990)
  7. ^ After a modified proposal championed by Floyd Lounsbury; sources that have used this correlation include Houston (1989, p.51), and in particular Schele and Freidel (1990, pp.430 et seq.). See also commentary by Finley (2002), who although making an assessment that the "[584285 correlation yielding end-date of December 23] is now more popular with Mayanists", expresses a personal preference for the 584283 correlation.
  8. ^ NASA, Intel, SGI Plan to 'Soup Up' Supercomputer
  9. ^ IBM Tapped For 20-Petaflop Government Supercomputer
  10. ^ The Sun Does a Flip
  11. ^ When is the Digital TV Switchover? The different regions and dates
  12. ^ Jenkins, John M. (1998). Maya Cosmogenesis 2012. 
  13. ^ "Why 2012?". http://www.artideas.com/Why2012/Why2012.html. 
  14. ^ "Activity: Precession of the Equinoxes". http://cse.ssl.berkeley.edu/lessons/indiv/beth/beth_precess.html. 
  15. ^ "Precession of the Equinoxes". http://farside.ph.utexas.edu/teaching/336k/lectures/node126.html. 
  16. ^ "Precession of the Earth's Rotation Axis". http://csep10.phys.utk.edu/astr161/lect/time/precession.html. 
  17. ^ (2006). The Future of Mankind [video presentation]. Los Angeles: Grenada forum.
  18. ^ Bahcall, John N.. "The Sun's motion perpendicular to the galactic plane". http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v316/n6030/abs/316706a0.html. 
  19. ^ "Planet X Nibiru". http://churchofcriticalthinking.org/planetx.html. 
  20. ^ "Sitchin is Wrong website". http://sitchiniswrong.com. 
  21. ^ Heiser, Dr. Michael. [http://www.sitchiniswrong.com/VA243seal.pdf "The Myth of a 12th Planet: A Brief Analysis of Cylinder Seal VA 243"]. http://www.sitchiniswrong.com/VA243seal.pdf. 
  22. ^ (2009). Nostradamus 2012 [video presentation]. The History Channel.
  23. ^ "Earth's Inconstant Magnetic Field". http://www.nasa.gov/vision/earth/lookingatearth/29dec_magneticfield.html. 
  24. ^ ScienceDaily. "Texas A&M Oceanographer Challenges Plate Tectonics As Reason For Poles' Shift". http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2000/01/000125053438.htm. 
  25. ^ Thompson, Andrea (December 16, 2008). "Leaks Found in Earth's Protective Magnetic Shield". Space.com. Imaginova Corp. http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/081216-agu-solar-storm-shield-break.html. Retrieved on 2009-03-31. 
  26. ^ Predictions that the world's end or a major transition will come on or about 2012-DEC-21, Religioustolerance.org
  27. ^ Brinkley, Dannion. (2007) Secrets of the Light. New York: Harper One.
  28. ^ "Michael Bay Confirmed for 2012". 2007-09-24. http://www.worstpreviews.com/headline.php?id=5922. Retrieved on 2008-07-11. 

References

Argüelles, José (1987). The Mayan Factor: Path Beyond Technology. Bear & Company. 
Drosnin, Michael (1997). The Bible Code. New York, NY: Touchstone Press. 
Finley, Michael (2002). "The Correlation Question". The Real Maya Prophecies: Astronomy in the Inscriptions and Codices. Maya Astronomy. http://members.shaw.ca/mjfinley/corr.html. Retrieved on 2007-06-04. 
Houston, Stephen D. (1989). Reading the Past: Maya Glyphs. London: British Museum Publications. ISBN 0-7141-8069-6. OCLC 18814390. 
Miller, Mary; and Karl Taube (1993). The Gods and Symbols of Ancient Mexico and the Maya: An Illustrated Dictionary of Mesoamerican Religion. London: Thames & Hudson. ISBN 0-500-05068-6. OCLC 27667317. 
Morrison, Grant, and various artists (1995–2000) The Invisibles, vol. 1 issues 1–25, vol. 2 issues 1–22, vol. 3 issues 12–1 (the third volume is numbered in descending order). New York, NY: Vertigo Comics.
Pinchbeck, Daniel (2006). 2012: The Return of Quetzalcoatl. New York: Penguin Books. 
Schele, Linda; and David Freidel (1990). A Forest of Kings: The Untold Story of the Ancient Maya. New York: William Morrow. ISBN 0-688-07456-1. OCLC 21295769. 
Voss, Alexander (2006). "Astronomy and Mathematics". in Nikolai Grube (ed.). Maya: Divine Kings of the Rain Forest. Eva Eggebrecht and Matthias Seidel (assistant eds.). Cologne: Könemann. pp. 130–143. ISBN 3-8331-1957-8. OCLC 71165439. 
Wagner, Elizabeth (2006). "Maya Creation Myths and Cosmography". in Nikolai Grube (ed.). Maya: Divine Kings of the Rain Forest. Eva Eggebrecht and Matthias Seidel (Assistant eds.). Cologne: Könemann. pp. 280–293. ISBN 3-8331-1957-8. OCLC 71165439. 
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