London: US space agency NASA is so confident that the apocalypse will not happen Dec 21 as predicted by the Mayan calendar that it has released a video 10 days ahead of schedule titled "Why the World Didn`t End Yesterday".
In the video, astronomical and planetary experts debunk any notions that the sun will irradiate the atmosphere or that a rogue planet will smash into the Earth.
The daily said that should NASA scientists be wrong, there will be no soul around to point and laugh at anyone from the space agency.
The video meant to be released December 22 was put out December 12.
"If you are watching this video then that means one thing... the world didn`t end yesterday," the video begins.
The prophesy is based on an interpretation of the ancient Mayan calendar which claims the world will end December 21, 2012.
As the hour approaches, various theories have been posed as to how Earth will meet its doom, all of which have been challenged by the NASA film.
One claims that Nibiru, a rogue planet discovered by the ancient Sumerians, will crash into Earth December 21, killing everyone.
Scientists, however, say there is no such planet.
The video claims that all apocalyptic theories are built on a massive misconception.
John Carlson, director of the Center for archeo-astronomy, said the Mayan calendar in fact does not end Dec 21, 2012.
"According to our science, the Big Bang occurred 13.7 billion years ago but there are dates in Mayan ruins that stretch back a billion times farther than that," he was quoted as saying.
Explaining that the Mayan calendar resembles the odometer in a car, Carlson said it simply "rolls over" when it has reached a designated point so that it can repeat itself.
"This repetition is key to the 2012 phenomenon. According to Maya theology, the world was created 5,125 years ago on a date we would write August 11, 3114 BC."
Another theory claims that the Earth`s magnetic field will reverse, producing dire consequences such as hurricanes and loss of all electronic communication systems.
Some believe the Earth is unwittingly hurtling towards a black hole at the centre of the Milky Way that will suck humanity into oblivion.
IANS
