From Betelgeuse to Ophiuchus: 5 (Perhaps Unlikely) Signs of the Apocalypse

Has the proverbial die been cast?

For those looking around for signs that the world is about to end, there has been no shortage of possible harbingers of late. While Surge Desk doesn't put much stock in any one theory, the preponderance of doomsday prophecies has caught our eye.

Here then is a run-down of the latest apocalyptic foreshadowing.

1. Betelgeuse
The possible emergence of a so-called second sun in our skies seems like just the sort of signal that doomsayers would look for to prove that the end is near. So, after reports that Betelgeuse, one of the brightest stars in our sky, is about to run out of fuel and perhaps turn into a super nova hit the Internet, it was only natural that some people would get a little excited. With hundreds of homespun articles popping up fearing that Betelgeuse and its gamma rays might be it for human kind, scientists did their best to quell the hysteria, but the possible arrival of the exploding star's light hitting earth right around the dawn of 2012 was enough to keep some people guessing.

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2. Mayan calendar
You may have noticed that it is now 2011, which means that 2012 is less than a year away. Why does that matter? Because the Mayan calendar doesn't go further than next year, meaning that, according to some, the world will end in 2012. Take it away Hollywood:

3. New Zodiac sign
Never has astrology been so scary. With the suggestion that horoscope followers revert to a 13-sign zodiac calendar to account for the wobble of the Earth caused by the gravitational pull of the moon, doomsday prophets were given a new possible lead on the end of times. Not only does the constellation Ophiuchus depict a man holding a serpent, it holds the distinction of being constellation lucky number 13. Conclusion (according to some people on YouTube)? Satan is on his way.

4. Dead animals
Readers of Surge Desk know that the planet has seen its fair share of mass animal die-offs in recent weeks. With stories on dead birds, fish, cows, buffalo and bees making headlines, there have been no shortage of people arguing that these deaths have been foretold in the Bible.

5. Biblical math?
According to former civil engineer Harold Camping, the Holy Bible has left us hints about the specific kick-off to the end of days. To be precise, the righteous will be swept up in the rapture on May 21 of this year, leaving the sinners behind on this mortal coil. Camping's textural analysis is based on a host of biblical information, but before one gets too concerned about the accuracy of his number crunching, it's worth remembering that he previously announced a rapture date of Sept. 6, 1994.

Here at Surge Desk, meanwhile, we're taking each new promise of the world's demise in stride. Heck, the news even gives us a reason to find solace in one of our favorite songs.

More doom and gloom coverage from Surge Desk:
Second Sun: Scientists Take On Betelgeuse Hysteria
May 21st is Judgment Day?
New Zodiac Sign Dates Causing Identity Crisis on Twitter
Birds, Bees and Fish: Why Are So Many Creatures Dying in 2011?