| The hype cycle of the film "2012", working full tilt, | | | | "Working alone since the age of 40, Lovelock |
| about the Earth's impending destruction has been so | | | | invented a device that detected CFCs, which helped |
| powerful that Nasa representatives have been | | | | detect the growing hole in the ozone layer, and |
| shunted out to appear on American talk shows to | | | | introduced the Gaia hypothesis, a revolutionary |
| reassure viewers that it simply that: hype. However, | | | | theory that the Earth is a self-regulating |
| they have far from soothed the general public's | | | | super-organism. Initially ridiculed by many scientists as |
| propensity for panic. | | | | new age nonsense, today that theory forms the |
| The timing of its release has been impeccable, with | | | | basis of almost all climate science." |
| only a few weeks left before the Climate | | | | Lovelock has been dispensing predictions with |
| Conference in Copenhagen convenes. It is said that | | | | consistent accuracy since the 1960s, which have |
| the conference, although unlikely to reach | | | | earned him "a reputation as one of Britain's most |
| international agreement due to perceived unfairness | | | | respected - if maverick - independent scientists." |
| over the burden of responsibility facing the | | | | "His latest book, The Revenge of Gaia, predicts that |
| undeveloped world, is essential and that the world's | | | | by 2020 extreme weather will be the norm, causing |
| governments must reach a consensus so that a | | | | global devastation; that by 2040 much of Europe will |
| Copenhagen Protocol can be agreed upon, thereby | | | | be Saharan; and parts of London will be under water. |
| committing all nations to reduce carbon emissions | | | | The most recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate |
| dramatically to prevent further instability over "global | | | | Change (IPCC) report deploys less dramatic language |
| warming" and climate change. | | | | - but its calculations aren't a million miles away from |
| On the ground, however, public concern about | | | | his." |
| doomsday in December 2012 has grown exponentially | | | | "Somewhat unexpectedly, Lovelock concedes that |
| and is spreading internationally, causing almost mass | | | | the [Daily] Mail's plastic bag campaign seems, 'on the |
| hysteria. Indeed, some Mayan and Nostradamus | | | | face of it, a good thing'. But it transpires that this is |
| believers, who predict Earth's ultimate extinction in | | | | largely a tactical response; he regards it as merely |
| three years' time, assert that this date will be the | | | | more rearrangement of Titanic deckchairs." |
| dawn of a new age and "spiritual growth" for | | | | Then the pièce de résistance: "There have been |
| survivors. Jokingly, a recent New York Times article | | | | seven disasters since humans came on the Earth, |
| mocked these soothsayers with: "It is kind of | | | | very similar to the one that's just about to happen. I |
| depressing if you were looking forward to taking a | | | | think these events keep separating the wheat from |
| vacation from mortgage payments to finance one | | | | the chaff. And eventually we'll have a human on the |
| last blowout." | | | | planet that really does understand it and can live with |
| Today, there are literally mountains of conspiracy | | | | it properly. That's the source of my optimism." Why |
| theories that inhabit YouTube on the subject, most | | | | then, I plausibly ask, after seven "events" already, |
| of which suggest an alignment between the Sun and | | | | weren't we the source of our ancestors' optimism? |
| the centre of the galaxy that will bring about a | | | | However, seven disasters already of this magnitude? |
| "radical event", with maximum emission activity | | | | Is he saying that the micro disaster scenario, that is |
| storms on the Sun's surface which will pour out | | | | to be debated by the world's leaders next month in |
| massive subatomic particles, known as neutrinos. All | | | | Copenhagen, is a complete waste of time? Well, I |
| of this, astronomers say, is objectionably absurd, akin | | | | suppose he is, yes. |
| the putative black hole at CERN. Moreover, they | | | | He argues in the piece that: "Most of the things we |
| argue, the Sun and the galactic centre will not | | | | have been told to do might make us feel better, but |
| coincide, as doomsday theorists would have us | | | | they won't make any difference. Global warming has |
| believe, in 2012. | | | | passed the tipping point, and catastrophe is |
| The essence of this end-is-nigh school of thought is | | | | unstoppable. It's just too late for it. Perhaps if we'd |
| tied in with predictions that Nibiru, a planet supposedly | | | | gone along routes like that in 1967, it might have |
| discovered by the Sumerians, is headed toward | | | | helped. But we don't have time. All these standard |
| Earth. The fallout from this, to paraphrase David | | | | green things, like sustainable development, I think |
| Morrison, a CSI Fellow and Senior Scientist at the | | | | these are just words that mean nothing." |
| NASA Astrobiology Institute, is that associated | | | | In this quote there is no allusion to a cyclical macro |
| attributes to this event encompass a reversal of the | | | | pattern, but in his interview with The Guardian |
| Earth's magnetic field, create severe solar storms | | | | newspaper ( ) he reiterates the coming of the |
| associated with the eleven-year solar cycle, cause | | | | "Eighth Event": "Don't forget that in the Earth's |
| the reversal of the Earth's rotation axis, long with | | | | history, while humans have been on the planet - |
| bombardment by large comets or asteroids, and with | | | | that's about a million years - there have been seven |
| a fanciful bit thrown into the mix about the Sun | | | | major climate events of this kind. And I think the |
| aligning with the galactic centre on December 21, | | | | geneticists say that at one of those events, we |
| 2012, subjecting us to potentially deadly forces. | | | | were reduced to a mere two thousand individuals; a |
| This now populist theme, based on the Mayan | | | | genetic bottleneck. If that is true, then they are very |
| calendar and ways to survive the coming apocalypse, | | | | violent events indeed. And the one up ahead looks |
| seems to be causing havoc with the minds of the | | | | every bit as violent, if not more so than the ones |
| irrationalists and the huge hordes of the | | | | that have happened in the past..." |
| psychologically unhinged. According to one website, | | | | He continued: "As soon as the system grows |
| many people in Russia are saying they are "anxious | | | | unstable, it goes into positive feedback. And as the |
| by problem Nibiru", with one woman asking: "Why | | | | positive feedback strengthens, then any small |
| doesn't your government put a ban on the TV | | | | perturbations, in either direction, get amplified. So the |
| shows and report telecasting about Nibiru and 2012. If | | | | tendency to cooling will give you a really cold winter," |
| [the] US can [take steps] to protect the world | | | | he suggests. "More extremes are likely because the |
| physically from terrorism, why can't it protect us | | | | system is becoming stressed." |
| mentally from [this] news, if they are hoax?" | | | | While the greenists run about suggesting that we all |
| If it's clearly a hoax, then mentally we should ignore | | | | plant trees to alleviate the impact of climate change, |
| it. However, according to Wiki: "There are a variety | | | | he warns: "This is the trouble with climate science and |
| of popular beliefs about the year 2012. These beliefs | | | | green actions: they theorise all the time and never do |
| range from the spiritually transformative to the | | | | experiments. Now, people have seemed to have |
| apocalyptic, and centre upon various interpretations | | | | forgotten that experiment and observation are at |
| of the Mesoamerican Long Count calendar. | | | | least half of science." When he planted 1,000 trees |
| Contemporary scientists have disputed the | | | | years ago he found out it really wasn't a good idea |
| apocalyptic versions." | | | | at all, because "you can't plant an ecosystem". |
| Whilst the film's impact on the human psyche is | | | | So, while the film "2012" is an obvious and clever |
| building up to the "event" in 2012, let's not be too | | | | marketing hoax - one that is based on the |
| hasty about denying the affects of climate change | | | | exploitation of human fear in return for quick returns |
| altogether though. While the world's leaders assemble | | | | - dig a little deeper into both the micro level (Earth's |
| in Copenhagen next month, James Lovelock, a | | | | biosphere) and the macro level (the course and |
| respected voice in the scientific community, said in an | | | | interaction of all celestial bodies) and the conclusion is |
| article in The Guardian newspaper, "Enjoy life while | | | | that we really haven't got a clue about what could |
| you can", and talks about the catastrophe that will | | | | potentially become reality; unless, of course, you |
| "inevitably happen" (for the full article see ( ). For | | | | believe in the stern warnings of Mr Lovelock. |
| interest's sake, let's look at some of the extracts: | | | | |
