Isaac Newton, the famed physicist known for his laws of motion and gravity, made an apocalyptic prediction in 1704, suggesting the world would end in 2060. His calculation, based on biblical events such as the Battle of Armageddon, was part of a letter where he sought to counter speculative end-of-world claims.
In his letter, Newton wrote, “It may end later, but I see no reason for its ending sooner,” clarifying that his prediction was not definitive but aimed at stopping unfounded prophecies that discredited sacred texts.
Newton’s date stemmed from interpreting the Book of Daniel and Revelations. He viewed the numbers 1260, 1290, and 2300, which symbolized apocalyptic milestones, as years rather than days. He pinpointed 800 AD the year of the Holy Roman Empire’s founding as the church’s formal abandonment. Adding 1260 years to this date brought him to 2060.
The letter explained, “The time times & half a time are 42 months or 1260 days or three years & an half, recconing twelve months to a year & 30 days to a month as was done in the Calendar of the primitive year.”
Newton’s prophecy isn’t unique. Nostradamus, the 16th-century French astrologer, predicted that 2025 might see Earth threatened by a giant asteroid either a collision or a dangerously close approach.
