The End of Life on Earth as We Know It

Via Jammie Wearing Fool, this cheery item from the British tabloid, the Mirror:

A research expert says the world could still end because of a catastrophic meteor impact – despite NASA’s claims to the contrary. With just over a week to go until the first rumblings of the end of days – it could be time to hone those contingency planning skills just in case you’re the last man standing – after all Earth has had a catastrophic impact before!

As a plethora of horrors are expected to rain down and ravage the planet including meteor strikes, earthquakes, tsunamis and even as some suggest a torrent from Almighty God himself – we decided to take some advice from experts who say that doom watchers may be on to something. Conspiracy theorists still haven’t pin pointed when earth’s final day will come – insisting it could be anywhere from the 22 to the 28 September – but if we’re to believe them – then we should start bidding bye-bye to our loved ones soon.

Naturally, the story soon switches back to re-assure readers that NASA, or somebody, would pick up the Sweet Meteor of Death well before it atomizes the earth. We’re probably safe for now. Still…

So with anticipation brewing over the end of the world, Dr Sarita Robinson, senior psychology lecturer at The University of Central Lancashire looked into the reasons why we’re so fascinated by the end of the world!

Why people are attracted to these beliefs is an interesting question. One possibility is that in a world which is unpredictable it offers a sense of control. People can be concerned about the future and what to plan but without any information to base your plans on it can be difficult. If a charismatic leader tells you that the world is going to end on a specific date you can plan for the event. By having a date to plan for you have taken away the uncertainty in your life.

The problem comes when the world does not end. It can be very difficult for people when they suddenly find that the world has not ended. They need to find a way to explain away the find that the world is still here such as the calculations being wrong.

There’s a lesson in there for the “climate change” nuts, but they’re too fixated on their cargo cult of “settled science” to realize it.