-1In the USA (and other countries) lots of young people have become scared because they have

been told
that the world will end on Dec 21, 2012. One of those young people sent an email to me recently and
asked several questions. Most of my answers below are based on what scientists have written, and what
they have said in recent videos. The videos can be seen here: Scientists Respond to 2012 End-of-World
Hype. Further details about the wild claims of the doomsayers were compiled during research that has
spanned many years.
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The overall message is that you can relax! There is absolutely no scientific evidence that any worldwide
disasters will happen in December 2012. Those websites, books, and videos can say anything they like.
Ask them for some evidence to backup their wild claims!! They won't be able to supply it. I could make a
wild claim that the Sun is going to explode on May 30 in the year 2014 when the ancient Martian
calendar ends one cycle and starts another.
But you know that I'm only making it up, don't you?!
"The '2012 doomsday' is a hoax, a fraud, and a con job. It is a cruel and disgusting lie being promoted
by scam artists after money. First they scare people to death that something terrible is going to happen,
then [they] publish books and videos on 'how to survive the apocalypse'. Get the scam?!"
http://www.2012hoax.org/start

Q: People say that a meteor might hit us in 2012. Is there any fact behind this?
No. There are countless astronomers around the world looking for the tracks of any possible 'Near Earth
Objects' against the background of stars. NASA maintains a database and website dedicated to recording
them and their potential risk. Go here for more info :- http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov/
The database doesn't show anything that we need to be concerned about for the year 2012, or any year for
the foreseeable future.
So far, the database shows 6,708 near Earth asteroids. http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov/stats/
This table shows the risk evaluation: http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov/risk/
Note that the Torino Scale is a ten point scale. http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov/risk/#legend
"According to this ten-point scale, a rating of zero indicates the event has 'no likely consequences'. A
Torino Scale rating of 1 indicates an event that 'merits careful monitoring.' Even higher ratings indicate
that progressively more concern is warranted. The Torino Scale is defined only for potential impacts less
than 100 years in the future."

"NASA has granted funding for the WISE infrared telescope to finish an extra full sky scan, giving
scientists an additional opportunity to comb the inner solar system for hard-to-see asteroids that could
threaten Earth." http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n1012/19wise/

Q: Would we survive if a meteor hit?

This question and answer is largely based on theory and predictions. As above, there aren't any objects we
need to be concerned about in the foreseeable future. Near Earth Objects come in all shapes and sizes.
(Meteors and meteorites are small objects that have entered the earth's atmosphere.) The vast majority of
meteors burn up in the upper atmosphere. They are known as 'shooting stars'. If (a big if ! ) a larger
object, such as an asteroid, hit the Earth, the danger would depend on its size and where it hit the Earth
(including the bottom of the seas and oceans). Note that oceans cover 70 percent of the Earth’s surface.
So chance indicates that an object would likely hit oceans, or other unpopulated areas such as deserts and
Arctic areas.
"Given several years warning time, existing technology could be used to deflect the threatening object
away from Earth."
"No one should be overly concerned about an Earth impact of an asteroid or comet. The threat to any one
person from auto accidents, disease, other natural disasters and a variety of other problems is much
higher than the threat from NEOs." http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov/neo/target.html

Q: Does 2012 deserve all the hype it has?

No. Definitely not! Like I wrote in the introduction above, there is absolutely no scientific evidence that
any worldwide disasters will happen in December 2012. It is all an Internet hoax, with no basis in fact.

Q: What is the mentality behind the Mayan's long calendar ending in 2012?
The Mayans had a number of calendars, used for specific purposes, that covered a number of our years. If
a calendar reached it's maximum number of years it would start again at year 'one'. That is much like our
calendar covers 12 months, or about 365 days, and ends on December 31st. A new calendar starts on
January 1st.
"Contrary to popular understanding, the ancient Meso-Americans, be they Aztec or Maya or any other
group, left no oral or written “prophecy” record about what would or could happen on or about the year
2012 -- other than a great age of 5125 years would end and another commence."
http://www.2012hoax.org/mayan-prediction
http://foresight-of-hindsight.blogspot.com/2010/10/how-maya-calendar-works.html

Q: What are the Anunnaki, and what is their relevance to 2012?

The Anunnaki aliens are an invention of a fantasy writer called Zecharia Sitchin. He proposed that they
lived on a planet called Nibiru. The idea is apparently based in ancient Babylonian myth. Some people
have suggested that Nibiru (or Planet X) could return in 2012. There is absolutely no evidence of this.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planetary_objects_proposed_in_religion,_astrology_and_ufology#Planets_pr
oposed_by_Zecharia_Sitchin
If somebody suggests that a large object is approaching the Earth, or will approach the Earth in a certain
year, ask them to supply the right ascension and declination of the object. If nobody can supply that
information the object doesn't exist, period!
http://nibiruchallenge.blogspot.com/

Q: Is a super-tsunami possible? What would the affects be?

By "super-tsunami" I assume you mean a tidal wave bigger than one caused by under-sea volcanic
eruptions and movement of the sea floor. A super-tsunami could be caused by an asteroid hitting an ocean.
However, as shown above, there aren't any objects we need to be concerned about in the foreseeable
future.
Some people might mention an asteroid called Apophis. It is supposed to come fairly close to Earth in
2029 and 2036, but it is being closely monitored, and NASA has recently shown that any slight risk has
been greatly reduced. "The asteroid is expected to make a record-setting -- but harmless -- close
approach to Earth on Friday, April 13, 2029, when it comes no closer than 29,450 kilometers (18,300
miles) above Earth's surface."
http://foresight-of-hindsight.blogspot.com/2009/10/asteroid-apophis-reduced-risk-in-2036.html
As already mentioned, no one should be overly concerned about an Earth impact of an asteroid or comet.

Please advise if I have calmed your fears. Also, like the quote at the start of my blog, "Don't give up your
education, or your hopes and ambitions, to follow a rainbow." I really hope that you can return to living a
happy life, with absolutely no fears for the future.
I really hate what these Internet hoaxes are doing to the young people in USA and other countries.
Remember: "Extraordinary claims demand extraordinary evidence..." The 'people' making these claims
cannot supply scientific evidence to backup their claims. They are shamelessly trying to make money
from the books, videos, and other things.
After December 21, 2012, I expect the Internet will be flooded with apologies written by doomsayers
whose claims didn’t have a basis in fact.

Yours sincerely,
Peter Yates,
(Dunedin, New Zealand.)

PS. You are welcome to copy or forward this email to your friends.
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The teenager has written back saying that I have definitely settled his nerves.