Now the crazies are frothing about comet Ison

[hornet]

Sigh. In the wake of the whole 2012 hype and subsequent non-event, it's becoming depressingly clear that the crazies are now going to latch on to ANYTHING that comes even remotely close to us as "proof" of everything from Nibiru to Biblical prophecy. First is was 2012 DA14, then the Urals meteorite, now YouTube is aflap with people claiming Ison is the end of the world, no, honest, it really is this time. Despite being a lump of ice getting no closer than 63 million km, it's apparently going to cause tidal waves, pole shifts and the Second Coming. I despair. There's so much fascinating science information to be found completely free of charge online, yet so many people seem content to latch onto these batst insane ideas in the belief it makes them open minded. It's genuinely depressing

[hornet]

Simpo Two said:

I think it's the modern equivalent of superstition. Superstitions spread quickly among the ignorant and can cause harm if left to run (eg burning of witches) when leaders emerge.

This is the thing that depresses me. They are picking this nonsense up from the internet, so access to information clearly isn't the issue. It just bugs me that people have the ability to search for information only to latch onto such garbage when the real world of astronomy and cosmology is so rich a subject. It took all of 30 seconds to find details about the closest approach of Ison, not to mention actual footage of it, yet people are now all over YouTube regurgitating Mayan prophecy and all manner of other toss. The fact the whole alternative media and conspirosphere are exploiting the naivety is the properly depressing thing.

[hornet]

jmorgan said:

I vote a drive by super soakering.

And then as they're standing there dripping wet, direct them to a blog you've just set up claiming the event never happened