As the end of the Mayan Long Count calendar approaches, doomsday theories and fears are growing over the end of the 5,125-year cycle. Many take the event light-heartedly, while others see it as an opportunity to raise discussion about real threats to society and work to take precautions in the event of various doomsday scenarios – from widespread starvation and civil unrest to alien takeovers.

A prophesied time for the end of the world is nothing new and has haunted and plagued communities since as early as the 2nd century. Some scares, such as Y2K are based on logical concerns, but after an unprecedented spike in cult followings in the 1960s many predictions have been flat-out bizarre, deadly and tragic.