Apocalyptica

Recently, Earth narrowly avoided annilhation - allegedly. Tabloids were freaking out, as were fundamentalists - specifically a group (the eBible fellowship) who predicted the end of the world back in May 2011, and rather than die from the shame of such a non - event, decided to work towards a second definite date which was Tuesday the 7th October 2015.

Well, we're still here, and I assume that the cult members have been savvy enough not to part with all their wordly goods and chattels. Could be bad though - imagine the shame of returning to your old boss the next day:
" You know how I left saying that I hoped you would burn in Hell like the lying, fornicating, lowlife you are ? I guess I was a tad harsh - and when I said a reckoning will come, I meant eventually, to every one of us - each in their own time. So - uh, can I have my job back, please?
 Just until the next time, you understand - until the big one .
 Next year. Definitely. "

Predicting real world events based on apocryphal tales will always end badly.
How do these people live with themselves?
More to the point, do they rid themselves of wordly goods and effects?
Do they inform friends and relatives of their status ?
"Sorry for cancelling the fishing holiday at short notice, but The End is Nigh, and all that"

I know that people can believe anything, and for instance - the Jehovah Witnesses have been wrong on many occasions. You have to admire their gumption though - knowing that there are finite (100,000) numbers who will be saved come The Rapture, they still persevere with doorstepping , hoping to reach their target and the possibility of salvation - but I digress.

There should be an independent body which monitors these important upcoming extinction dates.
Perhaps even with an award ceremony, where little gold plated statuettes (showing the world cracking open with an atomic cloud erupting) could be given to each cult leader / prophet.
Each statuette engraved: " The World Ended On (insert date)_____ , but I Survived! Winner!"
I imagine these artefacts would soon form a glut, and charity stores would have a new section called 'Apocalyptica'©

I remember the hullaballoo that arose over the millenial bug, in that computers would go haywire at the end of 2000, resetting their clocks and potentially causing chaos to global transport, airplanes, etc.
Of course, the New Year came, no disaster struck, and whoever made a killing with anti-millenium bug software scurried away to await the next outbreak of mass gullibility.
Don't forget there was no Google, no Facebook,no Twitter, no '#Social Media' so the Millenial scare transmitted the old way, by printed media and word of mouth (and possibly forums on UseNet).
What I'm saying is that this was quite a widespread thing, not confined to a specific religious group.

I have no desire to rubbish end - of - the - world scenarios in any system of belief -
I'm just quietly impressed / alarmed with the sudden apparent increase in asteroid near - misses.
Given that NASA have pretty much accounted for every wayward asteroid, and know most of the orbits - obviously there are still a few rogue elements out there - it would be just dull otherwise.
The adrenaline thrill of possible death is the force that drives base jumpers and all other extreme sports after all, it's human nature.

Ancient lakebed on Mars        ©NASA/JPL/ Caltech

On a more life-affirming note , water and evidence of water continues to be found in our solar system, with new images showing a cracked lakebed on Mars , which in the mists of time, was possibly one of many shimmering lakes of fresh water that covered the surface of Mars.

Pluto appears to host a subsurface ocean, too, which gives us a hypothetical five worlds -Enceladus,Europa, Ganymede, Mars and Pluto with hidden, extant water.
This is all recent news, and exploratory probes are being designed for launch as we speak !

The downside of all this is that if our first genuine 'alien' encounter is with a jellyfish, there could be a language barrier.

image ©happy tree fanon. wikia