Bethesda Regional Library
7400 Arlington Rd Bethesda, MD [map]
What started the torrent of books, magazine articles, television documentaries, and web sites claiming that the world will end on December 21, 2012? (Peter Gersten of Arizona goes so far as to say that he's going to jump off of a cliff in Sedona that day, enter a portal to the Galactic center, and "[neutralize] the silicon-based memetic virus that has corrupted this simulation.") How did this "mash-up" of the Maya calendar and astronomical events (or non-events) come about?
Dr. Carlson is Director of the Center for Archaeoastronomy and Senior Lecturer at University Honors College, University of Maryland, College Park. He is also editor of the journal Archaeoastronomy.
Volume XXIV of the journal is a special issue devoted to "The Maya Calendar and 2012 Phenomenon Studies." Information on obtaining individual copies of the issue will be available at the event.
FREE admission – Everyone welcome, members and non-members. Refreshments and socializing after the talk.
Free limited parking is available. The Bethesda Library is Metro accessible.
