Apocalyptic visions of the future and compelling predictions of doom have captured the popular imagination since the dawn of civilization. So far—fortunately for us—they've all gotten it wrong. But now there's another date to mark down at the end of your calendar: the year 2012. According to an ancient Mayan prophecy, derived from their sophisticated calendric system, the world as we know it is supposed to undergo a calamitous shift at that time. To find out more about this end-time prediction, along with other potentially cataclysmic global changes we may face in the not-so distant future, Maura O'Connor spoke with Arlington Institute founder, author, and renowned futurist John Petersen.

Petersen, considered to be one of the most informed futurists in the world, discusses some very real causes for a possible global paroxysm, so-called “wild cards” (predictable sources of sudden global change) such as peak oil or rapid climate change. They also discuss the diverse sources that seem to bolster the notion that the year 2012 could be a significant turning point and look at the ways we might prepare—personally and collectively—for a radical breakdown of everything familiar. Could the doomsayers really be right this time? Let’s hope not, but whatever the case, the future of our modern civilization holds more promise and peril than ever. And like few people, futurist John Petersen has made it his business to investigate, sometimes in unconventional ways, all possibilities.

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