We made it! Five times the world was supposed to end – but it actually didn’t

When it comes to doom-and-gloom, nothing quite beats predictions for the literal end of the world. Over the centuries, countless prophets, scientists, and conspiracy theorists have tried to tell us when to pack our bags for the afterlife. Yet here we are, still scrolling, sipping coffee, and occasionally wondering if maybe we’re all just sinners.

Most recently, the Rapture was predicted to happen, and it was supposed to mark the end of the world. But, still here.

@smelly.kat

live view of the rapture #fyp #oktoberfest #rapture

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So, here’s a look at five times the world was supposed to end, but it didn’t.

1. Halley’s Comet, 1910

Camille Flammarion, a French astronomer, was convinced that Halley’s Comet would wipe out all life on Earth if it struck our planet in 1910. People bought gas masks, “anti-comet pills”, and said their prayers. Luckily, the comet passed by harmlessly, proving that celestial panic is cheaper than actual preparation.

2. Y2K, 2000

At the turn of the millennium, everyone feared that computers would collapse because of the date change from 1999 to 2000. Governments spent billions fixing the “bug,” and techies panicked. When January 1, 2000 arrived, life went on pretty much as normal, proving that sometimes the real apocalypse is just a spreadsheet problem.

3. The 2012 Phenomenon

Ah, 2012. I vividly remember it. The world was supposed to end on December 21st, according to the Maya Long Count calendar. Everyone braced for catastrophic events: Collisions with imaginary planets, solar flares, even axis shifts. Some people built modern-day Noah’s arks. Well, the sun still rose on December 22nd, and no one needed an ark, except maybe for their snack stash.

4. Pyramid Apocalypse, 2017

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Conspiracy theorist David Meade claimed a hidden Planet X would collide with Earth in 2017, using hidden codes in the Great Pyramids as proof. The collision never happened, but hey, at least he gave us something to talk about while sipping tea.

5. The Rapture, 2025

Of course, the Rapture was predicted to occur on 23–24 September 2025, Rosh Hashanah, the Feast of Trumpets. According to believers, true Christians would vanish into the sky while the rest of us were left for seven years of tribulation. So far, still here, scrolling, eating breakfast, maybe wondering if we’re just sinners who didn’t make the cut.

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