Scientist debunks Dooms Day theory

Former Isro chairperson U R Rao has rubbished the Dooms Day theory saying life on earth would continue for millions of years.

“No Dooms Day. Whether we like it or not, nothing like ‘pralaya’ is going to happen. The Earth has been there for billions of years and will continue for millions of years,” said Rao, on the sidelines of a function at Dayananda Sagar College.

He said it is foolish to say that the Mayan calendar ends on December 21 and so, there would be no life thereafter. “I wonder how people can believe in such theories,” he said.

Rao said that in the past, too, many such theories had surfaced, but the Earth and life on it continued to survive. “On previous occasions when such Dooms Day predictions were made, people went and sat on a hilltop. Later, they returned when the prediction turned out to be a hoax. These theories are mere superstition,” the scientist said.

At an awareness programme, “The Myth of End of the World”, conducted on Tuesday at Vikas High School in Banashankari by the Southern Bangalore Committee of Karnataka Rajya Vijnana Parishat, its honorary secretary Vasundhara Bhupati, said: “It is absurd that such a superstitious theory has penetrated people’s mind, irrespective of their religion, class and education, though time and again it has flopped.”

She said that it had been upsetting to see the television and Internet media going the extra mile and providing graphical images and endorsing unsolicited articles supporting the ‘end of the world” prophecies, further instilling fear psychosis in people.

A S Nataraj, another resource person, said, “People are misguided into believing that the recent natural disasters are signs of an oncoming apocalypse. Scientifically, it’s impossible.

“Unlike the meteor strike that destroyed dinosaurs, scientific technology today is advanced enough to monitor, warn against, deviate and destroy such alien objects.”