Doomsday, as the Mayans predict, will fall upon us on December 21, marking the end of their 5,125-year “Long Count” calendar.
Although for some, the whole prophecy seems a little far-fetched, it has sparked widespread panic around the world.
The Telegraph reported that in the Russian town of Omutninsk, residents rushed to buy kerosene and last minute supplies, while in Asia; Chinese nationals took to Sina Weibo, China's version of Twitter, to express their fears.
Many foresee a three day blackout, a claim which NASA has repeatedly refuted.
According to Don Yeomans, head of the Near-Earth Objects Program Office at NASA/JPL, there is no such thing as the "end" of the world, at least not yet.
"Their calendar does not end on December 21, 2012; it's just the end of the cycle and the beginning of a new one. It's just like on December 31, our calendar comes to an end, but a new calendar begins on January 1," he said in a video posted by NASA earlier in the year.
Similarly to Yeomans, Syah Ismail, 24, firmly rejects the prophecy as it goes against the Islam religion. However, he later added, “If the world is going to end tomorrow, I will ask for forgiveness from all of the people in my life and ultimately from my Creator”.
For Hui Shan Lim, 24, she too, said she would spend time with her family, and finds all this prophecy talk rather “amusing”.
Of course, being located in Asia where superstitious inclinations tend to be more prevalent, it is no surprise some Malaysians have bought into the frenzy.
“Some of my friends actually took leave because they feel that if they are going to die, they want to die with their family, which I find quite funny” said Lim Li Kuan, 26.
Fashion writer Atiqah Juana took a more logical route.
"Whether the world will come to an end on December 21st or not, we're all going to die anyways you just don't know when or how,” she said.
Archaeologists further confirm that there is no actual evidence that the Mayas made any prophecies, as the “Long Count” calendar was exclusively followed by only priests and astronomers.
It is therefore likely that the average Mayas never used the calendar, even at the peak of the Mayan culture between A.D. 300 and 600.
