I saw a History Channel production on this topic just last week. The Mayan calendar cycles were incredibily accurate. I'm not sure I totally understood if 2012 is predicted as the end of the world or the end of a 26,000 year cycle. Will the astronomical alignment of December 21, 2012 affect the earth in catastrophic events of volcanic eruptions, sunamis, floods or drought or will it go unnoticed by most of us earthlings outside of Mexico and those who are involved in Mayan culture? I'd love to hear more from our experts here. It's a fascinating subject. Do any other cultures hold the belief that the same date will be the end of the world?