Are you prepared for Doomsday?

What’s your plan for December 21, 2012? Well, unless you are living under a rock, it’s impossible that you haven't heard about the impending end of the world on the said date. It happens to be the end date of the Mesoamerican Long Count Calendar developed by the Mayans. Also, some Mayan ruins apparently indicate an event that will change the earth. While some believe that the change could be a spiritual one, the others are convinced that it’s apocalyptic. Numerous other theories exist apart from the calendar one; these include the possibility of earth’s collision with a planet called Nibiru, solar flares, shifting of earth’s magnetic pole, cyclones, earthquakes and very interestingly, a zombie attack.

Such is the hysteria that there are many who have even started preparing for the D-day. The so called preppers have been hard at work coming up with plans of survival right from safeguarding their houses to stocking up on food and other essentials, and more. While the sceptics may laugh at such paranoid behaviour, Doomsday is on everyone’s mind. There are numerous apps out there that will not only provide you with information about the impending doom, but even help you prepare to meet the event. Featured here are five such apps.

Get your facts right

2012 Apocalypse app will provide you with all the information out there

If you are hungry for information about the impending apocalypse, then the 2012 Apocalypse app will provide you with all the information out there – right from predictions, facts, myths, scientific data and even videos. Rich in information, it will also provide you with the latest news related to catastrophic events happening around the world. You also have the option to share the information from the app on Facebook. With just a few days remaining, it’s about time you get your facts right! This free app is available for the Android platform. Another similar app is the Apocalypse 2012 - End of Days, also available on the Android platform for Rs 76.   

Prepare for a life underground

Based on the popular TV show, this gaming app teaches you how to survive underground

Even if you don’t believe in the apocalypse, there are enough reasons to believe that we are indeed living in difficult times and have to prepare ourselves for the eventuality. That’s what the makers of a popular show on National Geographic have to say as they profile people around the world who are preparing for the worst. Doomsday Preppers app, named after the show, is its extension and allows you to prepare for a life below the ground. There are multiple levels; you create new bunkers and invite more people to share; repair goods and sell them for gold, which can be used to buy more floors; you can create avatars and invite Facebook friends to play along with you. The free app is available only for iOS.

The time is ticking

Countdown to Mayan 2012 LiveWP app for Android

With hardly a couple of days left, you might want to have a countdown app to remind you every minute exactly how much time you have. Android users can check the Countdown to Mayan 2012 LiveWP, which will change the wallpaper every fifteen seconds. It features pictures of the Mayan civilisation and also displays some sparkle animation when you tap the screen. You will have to shell out Rs 50 for this app. You can also look at  the free Doomsday app for Android; apart from the countdown, it also allows you to create a bucket-list of things you can do in the remaining time. iPhone users can look at the Countdown 2012 Mayan Calendar Doomsday app; apart from the countdown, it features some cool graphics. Priced at Rs. 54, it also allows you to update your Twitter followers of how much time is left. Other options for Apple users to get their Mayan fix are 13:20:Sync (Rs. 109) or Ultimate 2012 (Rs. 54). The latter also features some great animation and music. It will also unlock an apocalyptic video when the countdown reaches December 21, 2012.

Meet the end in company of friends

With Doomsday app, plan doomsday along with your friends

Doomsday App developed by ShopKeeper is available for Android (Rs. 54) and iOS (free). With the help of this app, you can plan your doomsday along with your loved ones. You can invite others via Facebook, then from a choice of over 10 disasters, select one that you believe will bring about the end of the world and start prepping with your friends. Using maps, you can select a location you want to wait out the apocalypse along with your friends, and also decide what things each one has to get. Basically, it features a countdown and allows you to create your survival plan.   

Your survival guide

Your guide to Doomsday survival

If Doomsday is playing on your mind and you are worried about your survival, then the Doomsday 2012 Survival Guide app (Rs. 54) on Android can come to your aid. No one can be sure of the mayhem that can ensue; the world as we know could cease to exist. This app will help you prepare for any eventuality and guide you in finding food, water, shelter, etc. as it features data on survival collected from experts. It also features a countdown along with suggestions to prepare yourself before the apocalypse. iPhone users can benefit from Doomsday Survival Guide (Rs. 109), which features over 45 books about surviving the Doomsday. You can browse through the books, bookmark pages and even download individual books onto your device.

Have you booked your bunker yet?
The paranoia is not just restricted to the virtual world; there are many from real world who have started preparing for the doomsday. Right from underground bunkers to pods to fortified houses, people are going through great lengths to ensure their safety. In the fight for survival, what will really help is money, because then you can easily check yourself into an underground bunker devised specifically to help you survive the Doomsday. Many of these bunkers have cropped up all around the world, especially in the US. And don’t worry about it cramping your lifestyle, as you still live it up in these luxurious bunkers. One such underground shelter network Vivos is being developed by Robert Vicino at undisclosed locations across US and even in Europe. The shelters include an atrium, gym, comfortable beds, TV, medical facilities, security and food to last for a year. You can choose between co-owned shelters or the private ones. Another such underground shelter is the Survival Condo, which is a 200 feet deep nuclear missile silo that has been converted into a luxury apartment. Designed to accommodate up to 70 people, it’s well equipped to take care of all their needs for years.

Have money? Check into one of these luxury shelters

Don’t be disheartened if budget is a constraint, as there are options for you as well. A US-based company, Deep Earth Bunkers, has several options that offer basic and frill-free shelters in the form of bunkers, condos, safe rooms and even pods. These will offer you protection from almost any disaster. Equipped with features such as nuclear filter, hidden air pipes, blast valves and blast walls, these shelters have been well-tested to withstand impact debris of 770 mph and winds of 650 mph. They have their own TV and radio show, and take orders for bunkers from all around the world.

A Russian by the name of Evgeny Ubiyko has built himself a Doomsday Capsule that can house four people for forty days and can survive earthquakes, lava and storms. Built using tinfoil with four layers of insulation, it features air purification system and even showers. The capsule can roll down the hill or even float without being damaged. Built at a cost of $80,000 (approximately Rs 4,391,600), Evgeny has a plan in place to put the capsule to use. In case the world does not end, he says it can be used as saunas or industrial fridges. A Chinese businessman, Yangzong Fu, has built a survival pod and has named it ‘China’s Noah’s Ark’. The pod, which measures 4 metres in diameter and weighs over 6 tons, can house up to three people for ten months. Built at a cost of $236,000 (approximately Rs 12,966,799), it can withstand temperatures of up to 1700° C and impact of 350 tons.     

Chinese businessman Yangzong Fu has built a survival pod. Image Source

And if bunkers and pods are too claustrophobic for you, then you might want to head to the mountains. According to doom-mongers, the Pic de Bugarach mountain in small French village of Bugarach with a population of under 200, is the only place on earth that will survive the apocalypse. Since the beginning of the year, people have been flocking to this tiny village, hoping to find a place to survive. If you reach the village, then you can rent out space offered by the villagers. And if you survive the apocalypse, then you can get end-of-the-world souvenirs and even celebrate with survivors cocktail! But you might want to hurry, as according to some news reports, the authorities have decided to shut the town for tourists four days prior to the doomsday.          

   
Daunted by the incessant queries received, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) recently refuted the claims by publishing an FAQ section on its site. Do you believe the world will really end? Tell us what you think. 

Cover Image: GettyImages