Throughout its history, mankind has thought about the end of the world. In all world religions there are various scenarios of this catastrophe. There are many prophecies on this subject, scientific and pseudoscientific theories. How much is left until the end of the world and what needs to be done to prevent this from happening? These questions are eternal. Although, if we are talking about the end of the world, it is wrong to talk about eternity. The end of the world in different interpretations is understood differently. This is either the end of life on Earth, or the disappearance of our planet, or the end of our universe in general. Eschatology arose to study this question.
Eschatology
This science studies ideas about the end of the world in various religions, about the possibility of atonement for sins and the afterlife. As a branch of theology, it explores process within a particular doctrine. Regardless of what happens at the end of the world, this is understood as a fundamental change in the familiar world. The world will either move to a new level, inaccessible to mankind, or disappear altogether.
The end of the world in variousreligions
Scenarios of the end of the world in different religions are completely different. Even within the same creed, there are variants of this event. So, even in the Bible, theologians speak differently about what will happen.
One version says that everything on Earth will be destroyed, the other suggests that most of humanity will perish, and those righteous who remain will be in paradise. In some Christian teachings, the theme of the Day of Judgment arises. The final judgment will decide the fate of each of us. Sinners will be plunged into the abyss of suffering, and the righteous will experience eternal bliss.
In Buddhism there is a concept of Maha-Kalpa cycles. When the cycle ends, the destruction of all worlds occurs. Then the worlds begin to unfold anew. There is an eternal pulsation of the universe.
Abrahamic creeds speak of Armageddon (the hill of Megiddo in Israel). There must be a sacred battle between Good and Evil. Daniil Andreev believed that this battle would take place in Siberia, while the supporters of Islam think that in Damascus.
Scandinavian Ragnarok is a battle between underground monsters and gods, as a result of which the gods and the world will perish. But some gods and two people will survive - Liv and Livtasir, who will revive life.
In all these legends, one thing is common - after the catastrophe, life arises again. People tried to determine how much time was left before the end of the world, how to be among the lucky ones who survive it.
How to survive the end of the world?
In the history of mankind there wereso many predictions about the end of the world that its expectation has already become a habit. There is a funny anecdote on this topic:
- How long until the end of the world?
- Until what count?
Cemeteries in medieval cities were located next to churches, so that during the Last Judgment, the resurrected dead would have to go closer. So, one of the ends of the world people expected in 1492. This year ended at that time the Paschal calendar. In anticipation of the end of the world in Spain, the peasants did not sow the fields, resulting in a terrible famine. But in 1492, Columbus discovered America, and the end of the world was postponed indefinitely.
Many religious sects have speculated on people's fear of the end of the world. Sometimes this led to real tragedies. So, in 1900 in Russia, members of the Red Death sect committed self-immolation in the hope of being cleansed of sins. About 100 people died. In 1995, in Uganda, several hundred people of the Ten Commandments Revival Movement were killed in an act of self-sacrifice. How long until the end of the world, those who died do not care anymore.
Vaults
To survive the end of the world, people built a variety of shelters. These were both underground caves and various bunkers. Sometimes it got ridiculous. So, in 1914, during the next visit of Halley's comet, when studying the spectrum of its tail, traces of cyanides were found. Then in Russia they seriously tried to calculate how much Moscow time was left until the end of the world. And people were afraid of deaththe passage of the Earth through the tail of a comet. Then even anti-comet umbrellas appeared on sale.
In 2008, the followers of Pyotr Kuznetsov, waiting for the end of the world, locked themselves in a cave in the Penza region and did not come out for more than a year.
In 2012, the world expected the end of the world according to the Mayan calendar. Scientists explained that this is simply the end of the next cycle of the Mayan calendar, which lasts 52 years. But this did not reassure many of our contemporaries. The whole world was counting how many days were left until the end of the world.
Scientists' opinion
Astrophysicists also add fuel to the fire of speculation about the end of the world. The theory of a pulsating universe, where the current expansion will be replaced by contraction and final collapse, is very frightening to some. But this is still only a theory, and we are talking about billions of years. The launch of the Large Hadron Collider at CERN gave rise to a theory about the death of the planet from black holes, which will arise when using the giant energy of the accelerator.
The options for the death of our planet from the fall of a giant asteroid or in a collision with an unknown cosmic body are constantly being considered. Books have been written and films made on the subject. A whole genre emerged - post-apocalyptic. These books and films tell about different versions of the end of the world. This is a nuclear war, epidemics, cosmic or ecological catastrophe, punishment for human sins and much more.
The question of how much is left before the end of the world will constantly worry humanity. This propertyhuman nature. By the way, the next end of the world is predicted for us in 2036. Earth will die from a collision with the asteroid Apophis.
