Most people spent the last few days of the year spending time with family,  setting New Year’s resolutions and making New Year’s Eve plans. Others, however, braced themselves for the end of the world on Dec. 20, 2012, 

Many people had their theories, and most of them relate back to one thing: the Mayan Calendar. One thing the Mayans were known for was measuring long periods of time. These calendars can be dated back to 5 BC, and while the Mayans did not create it they contributed to further development. People who were familiar with the calendar, found it strange when December 21, 2012 was the last date. This caused people to believe that it was the Mayans way of saying that will be the day the world will end. 

Geoscientist, Adam Maloof, believed that the world ending was going to be caused by the earth shifting and causing natural disasters that would ultimately lead to the world ending. 

Pop culture did not hesitate to hop on this idea. In Nov. 2009, a movie called “2012” was released and made over $769 million in the box office. 

People were so convinced that the world was going to end that, NASA even released short videos online debunking theories and reassuring people that December 21, 2012 was just going to be like any other day. 

Top 5 movies

1. “The Avengers”(1.5 billion)
2. “The Dark Knight Rises” (1 billion) 
3. “Skyfall”(950.6 million) 
4. “Ice Age: Continental Drift”(875 million) 
5. “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2”(778.2 million)

Top 5 songs

1. Somebody That I Used to Know(Gotye featuring Kimbra)
2. Call Me Maybe(Carly Rae Jepsen)
3. We Are Young(Fun)
4. Payphone(Maroon 5 featuring Wiz Khalifa) 
5. Lights(Ellie Goulding)

Top 5 events

1. Obama’s reelection 
2. London olympics
3. Sandy Hook elementary shooting 
4.  The release of Kony 2012 (Movie)
5. Hurricane Sandy(October 22, 2012 – November 2, 2012)