Countdown begins for the 2012 Maya phenomenon
There are only 51 weeks remaining before Dec. 21, 2012, when some people believe the Mayan culture predicted the end of the world.
The now well-recognized 2012 phenomenon comprises a range of beliefs according to which cataclysmic or transformative events will occur on December 21, 2012. This date is regarded as the end-date of a 5,125-year-long cycle in the Mesoamerican Long Count calendar. Various astronomical alignments and numerological formulae related to this date have been proposed.