The fiery destruction of our planet could arrive tomorrow if conspiracy theorists are to be believed.
Christian numerologist David Meade has predicted the mysterious planet ‘Nibiru’ will ‘destroy Earth’ in a fiery collision on Saturday.
His claims are based on verses in the Bible, the timing of last month’s solar eclipse, and ‘clues’ he says are written on the pyramids.
A series of YouTube videos also claim the end of days is tomorrow, citing a combination of numerology and Biblical interpretations.
Now a former Ministry of Defence UFO expert has spoken out against the claims, saying they ‘lack critical thinking’.
Nasa has also denied the Nibiru theory, saying: ‘The planet… doesn’t exist, so there will be no collision.’
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The fiery destruction of our planet could arrive tomorrow if one conspiracy theorist is to be believed. Christian numerologist David Meade has predicted the mysterious planet ‘Nibiru’ (artist’s impression) will demolish Earth in a fiery collision this weekend
Nick Pope used to investigate UFOs and other mysteries for the MoD, and is a leading expert on conspiracy theories.
He told MailOnline: ‘We’ll get through 23 September, just as we got through every other end of the world prediction that’s been made.’
Nibiru, sometimes referred to as Planet X, is a hypothesised ’12th’ planet on the edge of our solar system.
The planet is supposedly on an elliptical orbit that brings it into close proximity with Earth every 3,600 years, and conspiracy theorists claim this cycle will smash it into Earth tomorrow.
But Mr Pope told MailOnline that the claims are ‘easy’ to debunk.
‘The bottom line is that if a mysterious 12th planet was really going to hit the Earth on Saturday, we’d all be able to see it right now.
‘If it were this close to Earth, you wouldn’t even need a telescope – it would be visible to the naked eye.
‘If any of this was real, every astronomer in the world – not just Nasa, but the amateur enthusiast with a small telescope – would have known about this for months, if not years.
‘So unless people are going to argue that every amateur astronomer in the world is somehow in on the conspiracy too, the whole theory falls down.’
Doomsday theories surrounding Nibiru have been around for decades, but thanks to claims from Mr Meade, speculation resurfaced once again this year.
The numerologist, who authored the book ‘Planet X – The 2017 Arrival’, linked last month’s total eclipse with various Biblical passages, including the Book of Revelations.
As well as detailing markings on Egypt’s pyramids, Mr Meade’s prediction is mostly based on the Bible passage Isaiah, Chapter 13 9-10, which says: ‘See, the Day of the Lord is coming – a cruel day, with wrath and fierce anger – to make the land desolate and destroy the sinners within it.
Earlier this year Mr Meade made a September 23 Doomsday prediction using verses from the Bible, and he has since claimed this date is backed up by marking on the pyramids (stock image)
‘The Stars of Heaven and their constellations will not show their light. The rising sun will be darkened and the Moon will not give its light.’
Nick Pope (pictured), a former conspiracy theory expert for the MoD, says Nibiru claims demonstrate a ‘lack of critical thinking’
Mr Meade said in August: ‘It is very strange indeed that both the Great Sign of Revelation 12 and the Great Pyramid of Giza both point us to one precise moment in time – September 20 to 23, 2017.
‘Is this the end of the Church Age and the transition to the Day of the Lord?
‘There couldn’t be two greater witnesses.’
He claimed that Nibiru, also known as Planet X, would become visible in the sky around mid-September before it collides with our planet.
But Mr Pope says that the Nibiru prediction is ‘anti-science’, and could be harmful to vulnerable people.
He told MailOnline: ‘Belief in Nibiru demonstrates a lack of critical thinking, and is anti-science, but more seriously, things like this can do immense harm.
‘The young, the impressionable and the suicidal might see stories about Nibiru and believe them.
‘I think there’s a danger, for example, that something like this could push an unstable person over the edge.’
Nasa has dismissed theories about Nibiru as pseudoscience, issuing a number of statements denying its existence over the years.
Doomsday theories surrounding Nibiru have been around for decades, but thanks to claims from Mr Meade, speculation resurfaced once again this year (stock image)
In response to the most recent rumours, it said: ‘Various people are “predicting” that world will end Sept. 23 when another planet collides with Earth.
‘The planet in question, Niburu, doesn’t exist, so there will be no collision.
‘The story of Niburu has been around for years and is periodically recycled into new apocalyptic fables.’
The Nibiru claims are not the only end-of-the-world theory surrounding September 23.
Last week several conspiracy theorists and doom-mongers claimed tomorrow will mark the beginning of the apocalypse, based on verses in the Bible.
The ‘Rapture’, set out in the Book of Revelation, will see ‘worthy’ Christians lifted into heaven by Jesus, while those remaining will be left to face the end of the world.
An apocalyptic theory known as Revelation 12 Sign predicts the Rapture will soon be fulfilled with the appearance of ‘a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head.’
Conspiracy theorists think an astronomical alignment involving the constellations Leo and Virgo, along with various other planets will fulfill this prophecy word-for-word.