Maya mask
The Mayan calendar ends on 21 December leaving many believing the world will end (Wiki Commons)

The Mayan prophecy that the world will end was originally supposed to be 12 December 2012.

But experts and conspiracy theorists say that the readings have been miscalculated and that the Apocalypse will happen on 21 December, 2012 instead.

Whether it is on Wednesday or four days before christmas, what will people be doing on their last day on Earth? According to an IBTimes UK survey, if it was confirmed that the world would end, most would spend time with friends and family.

According to our findings, 84 percent would spend their last day with loved ones. 39 percent of respondents said they would spend the day drinking, while 37 percent said they would see in the end of the world in style - with a doomsday party.

Indulgence appears to be theme to the End of Days: 28 percent plan to gorge on foods that are bad for them and 24 percent would take drugs.

Ten percent said they would take up a religion and/or frequent a religious establishment, and the same proportion said they would spend the day crying. 18 percent said they would quit their job.

One poor soul said he/she would spend the day: "Crying and masturbating," before going on the rampage with a machete. Billy No-mates to the end.

The media would continue to play a part in people's lives. Eight percent said they would find out what other people were doing for the Apocalypse on Twitter, and 14 percent would watch the news.

Just 4 percent said they would either do nothing or spend the day alone.

Pic de Bugarach
No respondents said they would visit Pic de Bugarach, the only place of refuge (Wiki Commons)

Surprisingly, results showed that no one would spend the day at Pic de Bugarach - said to be the only refuge from the Apocalypse.

New-agers think that when the world ends, the mountain, in the south of France, will open up and aliens will emerge in spaceships and save any humans living nearby.

Nasa scientists have assured people that the world will not end on 21 December.

"Our planet has been getting along just fine for more than four billion years, and credible scientists worldwide know of no threat associated with 2012," they said.

Some experts say that the prophecy has been misinterpreted and that a new calendar will start on 22 December, 2012.

"Just as the calendar you have on your kitchen wall does not cease to exist after December 31, the Mayan calendar does not cease to exist on December 21, 2012," they said.

"This date is the end of the Mayan long-count period but then - just as your calendar begins again on January 1 - another long-count period begins for the Mayan calendar."

Nasa's position on the Mayan Apocalypse was echoed by one survey respondent, who said: "I have already lived through the end of the world on at least three separate occasions that I am aware of.

"I am constantly teasing about the Mayan Apocalypse but let's face it, we don't freak out every 31 December when we get to the end of the calendar, we just start the cycle again. Totally the same for the Mayan long count."

Doomsday 2012: Nasa Explains Why World Will Not End on December 21