it does not mean the end of time
Ancients were smart people as they knew they would not live to the present age they left warnings sign posts
so that modern man can decode then
Effects in space can have very real effects here on earth what i believe 2012 is a marker from which we can expect some space weather. what does that mean well the galatic centre of this galaxy super sun or some call it black hole erupts every now and then superwave which can lasts up to 5,000 years. It has real effects both on our sun and on earth it pushes in space junk which is around our solar system. so gold can drop from the sky it also brings on a ice age so 2/3 of the planet goes to -50 and stays there for 100,000 years about.
So climate it hugely affects look up Dr paul laviolette he predicts one in next 300 years i think very vague on the when though so do not move house quite yet follow his work it quite interesting he explains the hopi legends and how what they describe was a past superwave arriving mass earthquake covering all earth watch video he explains it better than i.
http://projectcamelot.org/paul_laviolette.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oURVtGKW420