It's a year that many have prophesied will bring a catastrophic end to life as we know it. Whatever is in store—a massive cosmic collision, a global environmental disaster, an Armageddon-like religious showdown, or a more subtle transformation—many believe that 2012 will mark a major shift in the history of our planet. But what is there to substantiate such fears? A detailed, historical investigation of this chilling prophecy is the mission of Nostradamus 2012, an exciting HISTORY special that casts the doomsday warning in a frighteningly modern context.

Was Leonardo Da Vinci, one of history's great philosophers, artists and engineers, a secret prophet? And did he envision world destruction of such biblical proportions that it haunted him until the end of his days? Clues hidden in Da Vinci's paintings, his re-discovered prophetic "riddles" and the events of his life now suggest that he, too, was influenced by the Nostradamus Effect.

Various cultures throughout history have pointed to December 21, 2012 as the end of the world, including the Mayans, Hopi Indians, Eastern Hindus and others, due to an astronomical alignment, which only occurs every 26,000 years.

An investigation over whether Adolph Hitler, the Nazi Germany leader was the third antichrist predicted by Nostradamus and the role in which the occult played in his efforts to rebuild an Aryan master race.

Sir Isaac Newton is one of the greatest geniuses in history, but few know that he also predicted a shocking new date of the Apocalypse. Though famous for discovering gravity, calculus, and the basic laws of universal motion, Newton possessed a very dark and mysterious side. Thousands of his private papers, only recently made available, reveal a man secretly obsessed with alchemy and Biblical prophecy.

After the discovery of a secret manuscript in 1994 in the Vatican Library, some speculate the dire prophesies within its pages may have been penned by the eldest son of Nostradamus as a warning to the cataclysmic end of mankind.

The Bible's Book of Revelation is examined for its scriptures depicting the demise of the human race over a period of seven years beginning when Jesus Christ breaks seven seals, which bring about various methods of destruction.

In 1917, three young shepherd children from the small town of Fatima, Portugal, claim to be instruments of divine prophecy. The children report being visited by the Virgin Mary. Three haunting visions of death and destruction are revealed, but the children are forbidden to give details. Two of the children die within three years of receiving their visions. The third, Lucia, shares the three "secrets" with the Vatican. The Vatican debates the girl's stories. Could three children from a poor town have really been touched by divinity? And what of the visions? Lucia claimed the first vision revealed souls burning in a fiery hell. The second foretold the outbreak of World War II and the dangers of Communism. But the third was guarded closely by the Vatican until the year 2000. The final Fatima prophecy revealed an angel with a flaming sword setting the world on fire. Is this the entirety of the third secret, or is the Vatican hiding something far more sinister?

Less than 100 years after the birth of Christ, John the Apostle received a terrifying vision of Satan's final war against God--a horrific account of death and destruction that will bring about the end of human history. Heavy with symbolism, the prophecy describes a woman riding a monster with seven heads, and a Lamb releasing Four Horsemen that bring conquest, war, famine, and death. What has experts frightened is that many of the events that set the stage for Satan's rampage have already come true. Satan's wrath will be poured out upon the world in a series of cataclysms--earthquakes, pandemics, famine, and pestilence. What follows will be a massive battle with Satan's legion in a quest for world domination. All signs point to this occurring in our lifetime, a prophecy echoed by Nostradamus. Are we about to suffer the horrors of the Apocalypse?

The Great Pyramids of Egypt have amazed and mystified humanity for 45 centuries. A new look at their mysterious design reveals shocking architectural prophecies containing profound messages about a violent end to our future. Evidence shows that the construction and layout of the entire Giza complex, including the Sphinx, contain coded warnings about terrible tribulations set to strike us in our own times. New research will deconstruct the architectural clues and shed light on our doomed future. Why did the Egyptians believe that a rogue comet, called the Destroyer, which passes by earth every 3,000 years, will cause unimaginable destruction again in the year 2012? What prophecy-laden stones inside the Great Pyramid predicted that September of 2001 would mark the beginning of the end of the world? And what was the role of the ancient, secret society of Freemasons in creating these predictions and carrying Egyptian knowledge into the new world of America?

In 1947, ancient scrolls were discovered in desert caves near the Dead Sea. One of the texts, now called the War Scroll, spells out in chilling detail a future apocalyptic war that will end the world. Are modern events fulfilling the prophecy of The War Scroll? In fear of imminent death, the Qumran settlers hid the War Scroll along with other records of the Hebrew Bible. Soon afterward, they disappeared into the dust of history, leaving a grim prophecy of doom. Now, researchers explore the writings in the War Scroll and search our world for clues that the apocalypse foretold may be approaching. Visit the Dead Sea ruins--where it all began--to examine the cultural and spiritual conflicts in which the Dead Sea Scrolls were born. Experts point to an amazing coincidence of events that occurred then and that are happening now. Could ancient horrors herald a warning of terror today that could lead to our annihilation?

When millions of people all over the world vanish, a biblical prophecy that has come to be known as the Rapture will be fulfilled, and a floodgate of horrors will be opened on those who are left behind. The Apostle Paul foresaw a moment when all Christians would suddenly be caught up into the air with their Messiah. This would occur prior to the final outpouring of God's wrath upon the wicked. Even Native America Hopi predicted the faithful would be taken off the Earth in advance of a final war between good and evil. Many claim that all of the events that presage the Rapture have already happened. Does this mean that the Rapture is almost upon us? If so, we are now on the threshold of an Apocalypse.