Another day, another apocalyptic forecast.
Thus far, all forecasts have failed to predict the outbreak of Armageddon, except for those where the date has already passed.
But none of those come from the guy who discovered gravity: Sir Isaac Newton.
Newton, a British scientist and mathematician, developed calculus and established the principles of gravity and motion.
In essence, if it weren’t for his outstanding intellect, our sensible world would most certainly look very different than it does now.
So, if anyone can forecast our end, it’s probably Newton.
For this, we’ll have to go back to the early 18th century, namely 1704.
Before the development of the guillotine, railroads, and even the piano, Newton dipped the tip of his feathered quill in ink and wrote about the end of civilization on a sheet of paper.
According to the scientist, it will happen far sooner than you may expect.
In one prediction that was likely not intended for publication, Newton wrote:
If we date 1260 days from the complete conquest of the three kings in A.C. 800, it will conclude in A.C. 2060. It may finish later, but I see no reason why it should end sooner.
Yes, you read that correctly: 2060, which is 36 years from today.
But how did he formulate this theory?
Newton was a Christian, and he based this notion on the Book of Daniel, his church’s earliest testament, which describes the apocalypse.
Andrei Tapalaga, curator of History of Yesterday, explained what he meant: “The ‘end of the world’ that Newton refers to in this theory based on the Book of Daniel is when Jesus will return and bring peace to this world by ruling for a millennium.”
“Jesus would fire all those who have twisted Christianity for selfish gain and teach us all to live in peace. Those who resist him will feel his anger, while those who embrace him will experience his love.”
So Newton’s prediction of the end of the world did not necessarily refer to Armageddon but rather to the conclusion of an era.