According to the tinfoil brigade and the ancient Mayans, December 21st, 2012 is the day the world will end. On that day, the Sun and the Earth will apparently come into perfect alignment and a mysterious planet named Nimbiru, also commonly referred to as Planet X, will materialize from the emptiness of space, colliding with our planet in the process.

Naturally, my first question, upon hearing this oft-toted theory, was: “What the hell is Nimbiru?”

Back in elementary school, I was taught that there were nine planets in our solar system—Venus, Mercury, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune, Uranus and Pluto. However, since then, Pluto has been dropped from the list, officially downgraded to being nothing more than a cold hunk of rock masquerading as a planet. Absent from the list, of course, is the fabled Nimbiru.

Where did this planet disappear to and, more importantly, where did it come from? Well, Neil deGrasse Tyson, research scientist and lecturer at Princeton University, believes it came from the recesses of someone’s rear end, a much darker version of space, if you will.

Yes, it’s all BS. No, the world isn’t going to get in 2012. So, let Dr. Tyson school you on why life will continue beyond 2012.