End of the world? No Way!

Thai academics soothe fears over 21/12/12.

Will the world face its doomsday this Friday? If you asked academics showing up at a seminar on the issue yesterday, "No" was the answer.

Thailand's Chulalongkorn University's Faculty of Science hosted the seminar on "The End of the World in 2012 from an Academic Viewpoint...Is it True or False?" amid growing concerns among people that perhaps a solar storm, a big earthquake or a black hole would destroy the world on Dec 21, 2012.

The date has inspired fear in the hearts of many people. They, after all, have heard that the ancient texts of the Central American Mayan people have marked it as the time the world comes to an end.

To begin with, say the academics, you can forget a deadly solar storm and black holes.

"Humans have recorded 24 solar storms to date. Each time, the storm has affected just satellite and telephone signals," said Asst Prof Pong Songpong, who teaches physics at the university.

His colleague, Dr Sathon Vijarnwannaluk, explained that if a solar storm were really to hit the world this Friday, some humans would have noticed it already.

"For a solar storm to reach the Earth by December 21, it must have been formed by December 16," he said. Sathon said given that there were no reports of such a solar storm forming lately, people should not be worried.

National Science and Technology Development Agency's academic Dr Buncha Thanaboonsombut also shrugged off the threats of a solar storm.

He suggested reporters should press for further information on such storms from the people trying to spread fear from this phenomenon.

"Let's ask them what impact a solar storm could cause," Buncha said.

Sathon also dismissed any scenario about the Earth being sucked into a black hole.

"Black holes are so far away. How can the Earth suddenly get close to one?" he said.

He said reports about the end of the world usually emerged around year's end as people predicted a range of natural disasters.

Sathon said if the world was really coming to its end, humans would be the most likely cause.

"Rifts among people lead to killings could perhaps bring about the end of the world," the academic said.

He said before spending money on any scheme to protect the world from a doomsday-causing phenomenon, people should exercise caution and think hard about whether profiteers were involved.