In entertaining and sharp prose, historian Sharan Newman explores theories of world destruction from ancient times up to the present day- theories which reveal as much about human nature as they do about the predominant historical, scientific, and religious beliefs of the time. Readers will find answers to the following end-of-times questions: 'Did the Mayans really say the world will end in December 2012' • How have the signs in the New Testament Book of Revelations been interpreted over the years? • How did ancient Egyptians, Norse, and Chinese think the world would end? 'When did Nostradamus predict that the last days would come' 'Does the I Ching reference 2012' 'Why didn't the world end in Y2K' 'Are meteors, global warming, super-volcanoes, and the threat of nuclear war signs that the end is near'