Given the way the world is going, the end of time doesn't actually seem like that bad of an option, does it? I mean, let's be honest here, we're not in a great situation right now. We're on the brink of a terrifying world war, people are being poisoned and climate change is becoming a very real prospect. So, if there was to be a mystical planet that fancied crashing into earth and destroying mankind, would it really be that bad?
Well, luckily for us, some people believe that this is a very real prospect.
According to several conspiracy theorists, our world is set to end in dramatic circumstances, with the "death planet" Nibiru being the cause of our eventual demise.
Apparently, humankind will be obliterated and crushed to smithereens on April 23, so cancel your summer plans, quit your jobs and get out and enjoy your last two weeks on Earth!
The theory suggests that the moon, sun and Jupiter are going to align in Virgo, causing the start of the biblical rapture. This will trigger numerous catastrophic events, with the world seeing the rise of the Antichrist, the onset of World War III and seven years of Tribulation. However, the scariest part of this is all is that planet Nibiru - a planet that literally does not exist - will appear in the sky.
Of course, as with most of these theories, the Nibiru apocalypse has been predicted on numerous occasions but has never actually happened. David Meade, a man who had previously predicted the end of the world, said:
"By early April of 2018, the disappearance of the Church (all true Christians worldwide also known as the Rapture) will occur.
"This will be followed quickly by the rise of the Antichrist, the appearance of Planet X and World War III.
"Seven years of Tribulation will ensure. This is beyond any shadow of doubt."
Unfortunately for Meade and his merry band of conspiracy theorists, NASA has thoroughly debunked the Nibiru myth, saying:
"Nibiru and other stories about wayward planets are an Internet hoax. There is no factual basis for these claims.
"If Nibiru or Planet X were real and headed for an encounter with the Earth, astronomers would have been tracking it for at least the past decade, and it would be visible by now to the naked eye."
If you're slightly confused about what Nibiru actually is, Nigel Watson, author of the UFO Investigations Manual, can explain:
"Zecharia Sitchin claims that Nibiru collided with a planet called Tiamat that was situated between Mars and Jupiter. The result was the creation of the asteroid belt and planet Earth.
"Nibiru is populated by the Anunnaki, an advanced humanoid race, who visited Earth thousands of years to mine gold in Africa. As an outcome of needing workers to carry out these mining operations, they used genetics to create Homo Sapiens.
"The popularity of these type of ideas makes it certain that every new discovery by our spaceships will be minutely studied for any evidence of Nibiru, or any other similar body that might be populated by extraterrestrials."
So, if you're a realist, this news will mean absolutely nothing to you. But, if you are someone who tends to lean towards conspiracies, it's time to batten down the hatches and plan for the end of the world.
