(Music)
Dr. David Morrison: The widespread rumors that
there will be a catastrophe or even a doomsday
on December 21st are wrong.
This is, simply, a big hoax.
It will be a day just like any other.
(Music)
Dr. David Morrison: NASA has received thousands of
emails and calls from members of the public
who are concerned, especially young people.
So it seems only right that NASA scientists should help
to dispel these rumors of doomsday.
(Music)
Dr. David Morrison: There are many different threads
that come together on this doomsday hoax
for December 21st.
They come from a variety of sources.
The only thing they have in common is
that one date of the 21st.
(Music)
Dr. David Morrison: Some people think that the
Maya calendar, from the ancient Maya civilization,
comes to an end on December 21st.
Or even that the Maya predicted some sort of catastrophe.
That's simply not true. That's a modern rumor.
It has nothing to do with the real Maya.
(Music)
Dr. David Morrison: One doomsday rumor has a
planet, a rogue planet named Niburu or Planet X,
coming into the solar system and crashing into Earth.
This is silly.
If there were such an object, anybody could see it.
It would be one of the brightest things in the sky.
(Music)
Dr. David Morrison: There are claims that the
Earth's rotation will change or that the poles
will flip, causing terrible damage.
Well, this just can't happen.
There is no way that we can have a pole flip on the Earth.
(Music)
Dr. David Morrison: Part of the doomsday rumor is
that there will be a planetary alignment and that
this will somehow damage the Earth.
Well, they couldn't pick a worse time.
On December 21st, there's no alignment,
the planets are scattered all over the sky.
(Music)
Dr. David Morrison: There is a giant black hole at
the center of our galaxy, 30,000 light years away.
Some people think it's going to suck us in and
destroy the Earth.
But astronomers know that's impossible.
(Music)
Dr. David Morrison: The Earth's rotation axis
wobbles slowly with a 26,000-year period and some
people say this period is about to end.
But it never ends. It just keeps on going.
(Music)
Dr. David Morrison: We have all seen frequent news
reports of volcanoes and earthquakes and some
people think there are more of them.
But there aren't.
The frequency of earthquakes and volcanic
eruptions is no greater now
than any time in the past.
(Music)
Dr. David Morrison: There's a recent internet
rumor that NASA has confirmed that there will be
three days of total darkness on the Earth,
starting December 22nd.
Well, NASA didn't say that. Nobody said it.
It's just one more crazy idea.
(Music)
Dr. David Morrison: The Earth is always subject
to meteors or even small asteroids
striking the atmosphere.
Astronomers keep track of these objects and
predict any impacts that will take place.
None are going to take place this month.
(Electronic Sounds of Data) (Musical Tones)