№ 0081 Claim Open Drafted by AI
A 1960 study in Science predicted that the world would end on Friday, 13 November 2026
Von Foerster, Mora and Amiot, Science (1960) · claimed on Nov 13, 2026 · original source
In the days before 13 November 2026, articles and posts said a 1960 study had predicted the end of the world for that date. The paper is real: Heinz von Foerster, Patricia Mora and Lawrence Amiot published "Doomsday: Friday, 13 November, A.D. 2026" in Science on 4 November 1960. Critics say it was a population-growth extrapolation, not a forecast of the world ending, and that the date was partly a joke. The case turns on what the paper itself says it predicts and how its authors framed the date.
Timeline
Key dates of the case and events from the evidence, in order.
- The claim was made Von Foerster, Mora and Amiot, Science (1960)
- The case was opened
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