One of these days, a fearless prediction about the exact day of the apocalypse will be made--and it'll be right. After all, these sorts of prognostications seem be announced at a pretty consistent clip (even Ashton Kutcher floated his theory). The latest next Judgment Day (wherein a supernatural power will smite most of humanity) is scheduled for May 21, 2011. As the Associated Press reports, Harold Camping, a radio broadcaster for Family Radio Worldwide has scoured the "cosmic calendar" that is the Bible using a mathematical model that teased out the pleasant early summer day as most likely date for the end of the world as we know it.

While his followers are apparently packing their bags and traversing around the country spreading the message ("It's definitely against the grain, I know that," said one to the AP, acknowledging that this is a hard sell. "We're hoping that people will search the scriptures for themselves."), Camping is presumably crossing his fingers that his second end-of-the-world prediction turns out better than his first. The San Fransisco Chronicle notes that the broadcaster had previously made a "mathematical error" and erroneously forecast Judgment Day for September 6, 1994.

Still, it might be time to acquire that Glenn Beck-endorsed apocalypse survival kit you've been eying. You know, just in case.

[H/T: Mark Memmott at NPR]

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Erik Hayden