The Mayan creation story holds that three unsuccessful worlds were created by the gods, each running for a cycle of 5,125 yrs (13 baktuns). Man was created in the fourth world that started around 3113 BC, and the fourth cycle ends 2012.12.21. (Today! Gasp!). Actually, it’s just the start of a new cycle, say many Mayan scholars. So just as the world did not come to an end on 12.31.1999, it probably will not come to an end today (but as of this writing, it is still Dec 21 west of me, so we’re not completely out of the woods yet! ).