Apocalypse in 2012? History, myth and science - audio
Listen now
Description
Did the Classic Maya really predict the end of the world on 21 December 2012? What caused them to record a date that would occur over a thousand years into their future? This lecture will review a variety of apocalyptic prophecies, specially the one for this year, in the light of scientific research into the formation, development and eventual destruction of entire solar systems, including ours.
More Episodes
We live in an era of abundant data, and more data is being opened up to the world every day. More and more of us are handing over detailed personal and location data via social media and smartphones. How can researchers use this data to model and understand the way our cities and societies work?...
Published 12/14/12
What is it about exile that inspires photography? This talk explores the earliest known exile photography, created in the studio formed by Victor Hugo’s family and friends in their exile on the Channel Island of Jersey between 1852 and 1855. In these years, the Hugo group turned exile into a...
Published 12/14/12
In the nineteenth century, mainstream medical opinion suggested that abstaining from alcohol was a health risk. The advent of insurance policies for abstainers helped to chip away at this certainty, as well as encouraging policyholders to think about their health. This lecture will discuss how,...
Published 12/14/12