12/21/2012 - we are writing a historic date. Today marks the last day of all life, the end of the world. At least, that’s how the media want to interpret it in relation to the end of the Mayan calendar. What sense does it make to barricade oneself in a bunker with a stock of instant soups when there will be no tomorrow?
On the late evening of this date, nothing still indicates an actual end. This is not surprising, as researchers are not even sure whether the Mayan calendar ends on December 21 or December 23, 2012, and more importantly, it is only the end of a cycle; the calendar itself leads infinitely into the future.
Our existence, however, is a different matter. We humans and all other living beings, from the towering giraffe to the tiny microbe, will eventually become history. A history that no one will be able to tell. There are many possibilities for our end, which the Dutch science journalist Maarten Keulemans collects on his very successful website “Exit Mundi.” The best apocalypses are presented in the book “Exit Mundi: The Best End of the World Scenarios,” published by the German Taschenbuch Verlag, prepared and also available in German translation.
In twelve chapters, the scenarios are categorized, and before each new case, there is a brief overview with the possible time frame and the probability that this fate will actually befall us, following nonsensical headlines like “%^$@#?!”, “Fuck!”, or “Tick-Tock.” The latter, and this is absolutely positive in contrast to all the conspiracy theorists, is assessed as very realistic based on current knowledge. For example, the topic of the Mayan calendar is scientifically dissected with a low probability, allowing one to look forward to this day with ease. You can sense Keulemans' background as a science journalist in his explanations. However, not only the dry facts are presented here; they read easily and are not too flippant, as the headlines might suggest.
After reading this book, one thing is certain. We will all die. The probability that this will be a natural death rather than a swift, collective disaster that wipes us all out is somewhat reassuring. Those who enjoy entertainingly presented facts can confidently reach for this book. And all dyslexics or reluctant readers can get the audiobook, read by Die Ärzte drummer Bela B.
This article was automatically translated by AI.
