As a rule, just a mention of the coming end of the world is enough to cause a certain stir in society, especially if this mention comes from a public person. However, not everyone thinks about the true meaning of the phrase "end of the world."
The end of the world as a social phobia
Despite the fact that the most obvious meaning of the expression "end of the world" implies only the onset of darkness, people perceive this phrase in a more global sense. Thus, the end of the world is a phraseological unit, meaning, in the mass understanding, the death of humanity or the destruction of the Earth for various reasons.
The end of the world in one form or another is an important component of many religions and beliefs, including the world's existing ones. In addition, the idea of the end of the world is actively exploited by numerous sects, whose founders intimidate their fans. There are many tragic examples in history of how prophecies about the imminent end of the world became the cause of mass suicide.
The word "apocalypse" in translation from Greek means "revelation". This is the name of the last book of the New Testament, in which John the Theologian predicts cataclysms associated with the Last Judgment.
The predictions of the apocalypse were not neglected by various prophets, clairvoyants, astrologers, contactees (people claiming to have communicated with carriers of extraterrestrial intelligence) and just crazy. In total, the end of the world was predicted at least five hundred times, if only the most famous cases are considered.
Various sources describe the end of humanity in different ways: divine intervention, epidemics, natural disasters, the fall of huge meteorites, explosions of stars, the appearance of black holes, nuclear war or the landing of aggressive aliens - there are many options, but so far none of them has become a reality.
According to Scandinavian mythology, the world will be destroyed during the final battle between gods and monsters, which should take place after a three-year winter.
Scientific point of view
However, representatives of the scientific community also periodically predict a relatively imminent end of the world. Their arguments are usually much more convincing than claims about divine will or astrological symbols. From the point of view of science, the planet faces many dangers, some of which are impossible to predict.
Even if we do not consider long-term prospects, for example, the cooling of the Sun or the approach of stars to the Earth at dangerously close distances, which may occur in a few million years, threats remain much more likely in the foreseeable future.
First of all, such threats are associated with dangerous and destructive activities of mankind. Biological warfare, a global epidemic, a man-made catastrophe, the greenhouse effect, or new technologies can end up at the end of the world. In addition, there is the potential for energy, food and water shortages due to overpopulation.
Finally, we must not forget about natural disasters such as earthquakes, hurricanes, tsunamis, solar flares, volcanic eruptions. All these phenomena, indeed, can cause the human civilization, and with it, possibly, the entire planet, to be destroyed.
