'Doomsday', 'The End of the World', 'The Apocalypse.' Whatever you want to call it, the threat to all life on earth has believers worldwide scrambling to prepare for the inevitable. In fact, a recent rumor that 3 days of darkness will shroud the China prompted locals of the Sichuan provide to raid supplies stores and purchase items such as candles and matches in bulk, according to China Daily.
China's lunar orbiter chief scientist Ouyang Zinyuan responds, stating: "The rumors are a misinterpretation of the Maya calendar and are still going on."
Nanjing Purple Mountain Observatory astronomer Wang Si chao echoes Zinyuan, and asserts that "The sun will still rise on Dec. 21. All reactions to the doomsday prophecy show a strong recognition of the crisis of human existence. However, these reactions should be rooted in science."
Despite scientists worldwide debunking the myths of destruction and death, people are willing to invest in precautionary measures, and business owners are more than happy to meet their demands. China Daily reports that Yang Zongfu of East China's Jiangsu province created his own Noah's Ark and has since sold the device for millions of yuan, the local currency.
Even NASA's Senior Scientist David Morrison took the time to address the issue.
"On the 21st, the date of the winter solstice, a calendar cycle called the 13th b'ak'tun comes to an end. Although Maya scholars agree that the ancient Maya would not have seen this day as apocalyptic, rumors have spread that a cosmic event may end life on Earth on that day."