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Religious leaders, scientists, and even a hen (or so it appeared) have been forecasting the end of the world for as long as history can remember. Predictions have included catastrophic floods, devastating fires, and comet collisions—fortunately for humanity, none of these dire prophecies have come true.
10. The 2012 Maya Doomsday Prophecy
December 21, 2012, marked the conclusion of the first “Great Cycle” in the Maya Long Count calendar. Many misunderstood this as signaling the complete termination of the calendar, which had tracked time continuously for 5,125 years, sparking doomsday theories. Speculated end-of-the-world scenarios included Earth colliding with a hypothetical planet named Nibiru, massive solar flares, a planetary alignment causing extreme tidal disasters, and a shift in Earth’s axis. Preparations for the apocalypse ranged from the construction of a modern-day Noah’s ark by a man in China to a surge in sales of survival gear.
An illustration from the Madrid Codex (also known as the Codex Tro-Cortesianus), one of the Mayan sacred texts, depicts the corn god (on the left) and the rain god, Chac. This invaluable piece of Maya heritage is housed in the Museo de América in Madrid. Image: Courtesy of the Museo de America, Madrid
9. Harold Camping
Among the most notable modern proponents of end-times predictions, Harold Camping made public forecasts about the world’s end as many as 12 times, relying on his interpretations of biblical numerology. In 1992, he authored a book ominously titled 1994?, which suggested the apocalypse would occur around that year. Perhaps his most widely publicized prediction was for May 21, 2011, a date he calculated to be precisely 7,000 years after the Biblical flood. When nothing significant occurred on that day, he revised his calculations and postponed the predicted end of the world to October 21, 2011.
A sequence of twelve solar X-ray images captured by the Yohkoh satellite between 1991 and 1995 showcases the Sun’s activity over its solar cycle. The brightness of the solar corona diminishes by approximately a factor of 100 as the Sun transitions from an “active” state (left) to a “less active” state (right). This variation illustrates the dynamic nature of solar activity during its cycle. Image: G.L. Slater and G.A. Linford; S.L. Freeland; the Yohkoh Project
8. True Way
Hon-Ming Chen and Chen Tao
Taiwanese religious leader Hon-Ming Chen founded Chen Tao, or “True Way,” a religious group that combined aspects of Christianity, Buddhism, UFO conspiracy theories, and Taiwanese folk traditions. Chen proclaimed that God would appear on U.S. television channel 18 on March 25, 1988, to announce that He would descend to Earth the following week, taking on a physical form identical to Chen himself. In a subsequent prophecy, Chen predicted that millions of devil spirits and catastrophic flooding would lead to a mass extinction of humanity. According to Chen, followers could escape this apocalypse by purchasing passage on spaceships, disguised as clouds, which were sent to rescue the faithful.
7. Halley’s Comet Panic
Halley’s Comet and the 1910 Panic
Halley’s Comet, which orbits Earth approximately every 76 years, sparked widespread fear during its close approach in 1910. Concerns arose that the comet might destroy the planet, either by colliding with Earth or through exposure to toxic gases rumored to be in its tail. Media coverage fueled the hysteria, with sensational headlines like “Comet May Kill All Earth Life, Says Scientist.” In Oklahoma, one group reportedly attempted to sacrifice a virgin to avert the disaster, while others turned to buying bottled air in preparation. Although Earth likely passed through a portion of the comet’s tail, the event had no noticeable impact.
6. Millerism
William Miller and the Great Disappointment
Religious leader William Miller began preaching in 1831 that the world would end with the second coming of Jesus Christ in 1843. His teachings garnered a following of up to 100,000 believers, who anticipated being carried to heaven on the predicted date. When the prophecy for 1843 failed, Miller revised his calculations, setting a new date in 1844. However, this prediction also did not come to pass, leading to what became known as the “Great Disappointment.” Follower Henry Emmons expressed his despair, writing, “I waited all Tuesday, and dear Jesus did not come … I lay prostrate for 2 days without any pain—sick with disappointment.”
5. Joanna Southcott
Joanna Southcott and the Second Messiah Prophecy
At the age of 42, Joanna Southcott began claiming to hear voices that foretold future events, such as the crop failures and famines of 1799 and 1800. She gained a following of up to 100,000 believers and published numerous books outlining her prophecies. In 1813, Southcott proclaimed that she would give birth to the second messiah in the following year—a miraculous event that she claimed would herald the last days of Earth. Despite being 64 years old and declaring herself a virgin to her doctors, no child was born. Southcott passed away in 1814, leaving her prophecy unfulfilled.
4. The Prophet Hen of Leeds
The Leeds Hen Prophecy Hoax
In 1806, a domesticated hen in Leeds, England, seemingly laid eggs bearing the inscription “Christ is coming.” The peculiar phenomenon attracted large crowds, with many believing it to be a divine sign of impending Judgment Day. However, the truth behind the “miraculous” eggs soon came to light. The owner of the hen had been using corrosive ink to write the messages on the eggs and then reinserting them into the hen’s body to create the illusion of prophecy. The revelation quickly put an end to the apocalyptic panic.
3. Great Fire of London
The Year 1666 and Apocalyptic Fears
In 17th-century Europe, many Christians believed the year 1666 might mark the end of the world due to the association of 666 with the number of the Beast in the Bible. This fear seemed validated when the Great London Fire broke out on September 2, 1666, raging for three days and destroying much of the city, including 87 parish churches and approximately 13,000 houses. Many interpreted the disaster as a fulfillment of apocalyptic prophecy. Despite the extensive destruction, the reported death toll was astonishingly low—only 10 people—falling far short of an actual end-of-the-world event.
2. The Great Flood
Johannes Stöffler and the 1524 Flood Prediction
Johannes Stöffler, a well-known German mathematician and astrologer, forecasted that a catastrophic flood would engulf the world on February 25, 1524, coinciding with a planetary alignment under Pisces, a water sign. The prediction caused widespread panic, with hundreds of pamphlets spreading the warning. Count von Iggleheim, a German nobleman, even constructed a three-story ark in preparation. However, despite some light rain on the predicted date, no significant flooding occurred, leaving the prophecy unfulfilled.
1. Montanism
Montanism and the Imminent Second Coming
Montanism, a 2nd-century Christian movement, emerged in Phrygia (modern-day Turkey) as a schismatic sect. Its founder, Montanus, claimed to speak under the influence of the Holy Spirit, delivering visions that emphasized the imminent second coming of Christ. Montanists believed that the heavenly Jerusalem would descend to Earth on a plain between the villages of Pepuza and Tymion in Phrygia. This belief led many followers to abandon their homes and migrate to the region, awaiting the fulfillment of Montanus’s prophecy.
