US scholar is behind apocalypse rumour

The ancient Maya people compiled the Long Count Calendar but the popular rumour linking it to the end of the world appears to lie with Michael Coe, an American Maya expert.

Writing about the calendar in the late 1960s, the highly regarded scholar made note of the fact that tomorrow night, according to Mesoamerican culture, alluded to an Armageddon that would cleanse humanity.

The myth has snowballed over the decades, resulting in films such as 2012 and the TV show The Mayan Apocalypse 2012.

Should we survive after tomorrow, a glut of video games focusing on Armageddon are due for release next year.

* Zaineb Al Hassani