The Mayans had a calendar which had long 5000 year cycles and after each the cycle would begin anew. The end of the current cycle is December 21st, 2012, which also happens to be winter solstice that year. The Mayans also had a short calendar witha cycle of 52 years and every 52 years they thought the world might end. I’m not sure what this means for 2012 but there are theories that it could just be some weird alignment in sky or perhaps the date when technological advances begin occurring at the rate of infinity (see Technology). The Mayans were really good astronomers so perhaps it is the date of some asteroid coming. I’ve kind of pictured these cycles of the Mayans as maybe being most of the civilization is lost, but what is left begins fresh and better and stronger than before. Either way I’m really curious to see what the hell is going to happen on that date.