Mayan Apocalypse: NASA Bets Against the End of the World

If you think the world is going to end in a few hours, then perhaps the arguments of scientists won't sway you.

But NASA has devoted a page on its website to debunking the Mayan Apocalypse anyway, and they're quite clear about what will and won't happen at midnight.

"Our planet has been getting along just fine for more than 4 billion years, and credible scientists worldwide know of no threat associated with 2012," the site explains.

"But what of the Mayans?," the gullible ask.

NASA has an answer for that too.

The story started with claims that Nibiru, a supposed planet discovered by the Sumerians, is headed toward Earth. This catastrophe was initially predicted for May 2003, but when nothing happened the doomsday date was moved forward to December 2012 and linked to the end of one of the cycles in the ancient Mayan calendar at the winter solstice in 2012 -- hence the predicted doomsday date of December 21, 2012.

So, you see, these predictions have already failed once, much like the bizarre claims of Harold Camping, who's falsely prophesized the end days numerous times.

However, should you still want to hedge your bets, we won't point you toward survival tips because mass extinction kind of goes hand-in-hand with the world exploding. So instead, live your last minutes at one of the many local watering holes that's open from 11:30 a.m. to Apocalypse (or 1 a.m.)