This is easily the most predictable disaster for 2012. With recent discussion of "dark comets," we have become aware of the possibility of our planet being struck with little or no warning." (2012 Possibilities) Another possibility that has been mentioned by some scientists is the possibility of a Cronal Mass Ejection (CME) from the Sun. A CME is an emanation of energy from the sun which can cause ferocious storms. A solar storm in 1959 has been linked to this form of energy burst. An unsettling fact is that, " In 2009 NASA told us to be wary of solar storms." (2012 Possibilities)

These speculative findings and many other have created an enormous amount of discussion and debate on the Internet. An expert in the field is the author Patrick Geryl. He is of the opinion that "…a sun-driven pole shift in 2012 will create a tsunami beyond imagination… and that the best way to survive is an indestructible yacht." (2012 Blog) He has written a book entitled How To Survive 2012. He also considers the data and the Mayan predictions about 2012 to be correct. Interestingly, the film 2012 has been largely based on some of his writings.

4. Philosophical views

At the beginning of the Twentieth Century the famous poet T.S. Eliot wrote a poem entitled The Wasteland. In this poem he explores a theme that was to dominate art and philosophy in that century as well as in the present century. This is the view that the world and modern civilization has become decadent and largely devoid of meaning. The increase in poverty, disease and war in our age is an indication that the present stage of human civilization is morally and philosophically a period of decline.

This theme is reiterated in the work of many contemporary artists and philosophers. The German philosopher Martin Heidegger was deeply concerned about the loss of mankind's connection with Being and the latter half of the Twentieth Century saw the...

Artists like the playwright Samuel Beckett produced plays which reflect there emptiness of modern life and civilization.
All of these works of art and philosophy tend to agree with the idea of Kali Yuga or the end of a phase in human history. They also seem to suggest that humankind has lost direction and is rapidly spiraling down into an age of destruction - which again fits in well with the Mayan and other predictions about the end of a cycle.

Conclusion

If we summarize the above discussion a number of points become clear. The fact that there is a correspondence between the myths and predictions from very different cultures about an apocalypse in 2012 tends to suggest that these views may hold a real element of truth. Coupled with this is the fact that many scientific findings, such as shifting of the magnetic poles, also fit into the general ambit of these predictions. Thirdly, the thinkers and artists of the present age instinctively and intuitively seem to be aware that the cultures and civilizations of the world are in a state of serious decline. All of these factors tend to suggest that films like 2012 may be more than just popular fiction. They may in fact be a depiction of the very near future.

Works Cited

2012 Blog. December 12, 2009.

2012 Doomsday: Science or Superstition? December 12, 2009.

2012 Doomsday: Science or Superstition? (2) December 12, 2009.

2012 Predictions. December 12, 2009.

2012 Possibilities. December 12, 2009.

December 21, 2012. December 12, 2009.

December 21, 2012 Fact or Fiction? December 12, 2009.

MacDonald G. "Does Maya calendar predict 2012 apocalypse?." USA Today. March 27, 2007. December 12, 2009.

Mayan Predictions. December 12,…