War of the Websites

Could another "War of the Worlds" hoax be brewing, with old media and new media joining forces to fool the public into thinking the world is about to end due to an unfortunate arrival from outer space?

Well, maybe. An upcoming movie dramatizes a long-time Internet rumor that the Mayans predicted the world would end in 2012 after another planet or large asteroid hits the Earth. Sony Pictures, the distributor of the film, is behind some fake websites that add fuel to the myth while creating publicity for the film.

Some real-life scientists are speaking out to separate scientific fact (there is no evidence that the Earth will end in 2012) from media-hyped fiction.

This medianote is based on a Los Angeles Times article.