World will end in 2026: Here's truth behind viral claim

As 2025 is about to end, social media has been buzzing with claims that the world will end in 2026.

From viral TikToks to sensational posts, the idea of a catastrophe in 2026 has captured the attention of many.

But what’s behind this sudden flood of doomsday predictions, and why is 2026 being pegged as the year humanity faces its end?

The viral “world-ending in 2026” theory is entirely a myth and is not supported by any scientific evidence. Rather, it’s a combination of outdated theories, fringe predictions, and global anxieties. The basis of these viral trends is an extrapolation of an old mathematical model by Heinz von Foerster, a German-born scientist, who gave a theory in the 1960s. It states the human population would hit a point of unsustainable growth by 2026.

This “singularity” suggests that the world might struggle to maintain its growing population beyond that year.

Another source of this prediction originates from the work of Guy McPherson, a retired American ecologist, who has long advocated that the Earth is on the brink of destruction due to unchecked climate change. Although he has predicted an imminent collapse of human civilization due to environmental devastation, his followers have zeroed in on the year 2026 as a symbolic endpoint for humanity.

Although there’s no absolute evidence that the world will end in 2026, people attribute climate change and environmental stress, overpopulation and resource scarcity, technological threats, and rising global tensions to a catastrophic situation.

Psychological and societal factors played a significant role in spreading this viral prediction. Social media platforms such as TikTok, Twitter, and YouTube thrive on viral content. Continuous resharing of posts reinforces the belief that the world will end in 2026.