The Riddle of the Mayan Calendar

This morning I woke up as if I have the answer the Mayan Calendar riddle. It has been a decade already when I got first interest with “12-21-2012”, which everyone knows by now is the end of the cycle of the Mayan calendar. Ten years ago, every time I would read an article — thanks to the internet — on the subject I would feel both amused and amazed. The literature about 2012 is very rich, ranging from the coming of planet Nibiru, pole shift, solar thunderstorms all of which are of apocalyptic proportions. A movie aptly titled “2012” was even shown in 2009 presenting their own share of visualization on what may happen as the Mayan calendar ends.

A poster from the 2009 movie “2012”

But as years pass by, it debunked the myth of the coming of planet Nibiru, where proponents claim it will be visible to human eye as we near 2012. Pole shift if also one thing that I am skeptical. Though I believe that this may be possible and may have occurred hundred thousand years past, what I can not agree is that the pole shift would happen swift and drastic particularly on December 21, 2012. It is quite difficult to imagine to pinpoint a specific date. As to the global warming, we have to agree that the sun has its own cycle. NASA mentions about an 11-year cycle of solar activity with its peak also coinciding 2012/2013. We have a very short recorded history though when it comes to solar activities as we have no data on what could have occurred 10,000 years ago.

The answer to the riddle is that, within this time NASA would announce, confirm and show evidence that there is life on Mars (or perhaps on other planet). Disclaimer: This is what came to my mind first thing when I woke up today, randomly.

Screen-grab on NASA website… Would NASA announce the presence of life on Mars this 2012 (with Curiosity providing evidence)?

If this will happen, this is indeed a great coincidence, a new era (with our understanding of life on Earth and beyond the planet) culminating at the end of the Mayan Calendar.

What I sure however is that December 21, 2012 is a Friday and a weekend here in Saudi Arabia, most probably I will wake up late, like what I usually do on weekends (but after staying up late Thursday night).