From Large-Scale Conflicts to Theories of Contact with Extraterrestrial Life
Interpretations Intertwined with Climate Crisis, War, and Economic Uncertainty
As the new year of 2026 begins, the predictions of Bulgarian prophet Baba Vanga, who is said to have foretold the 9/11 terrorist attacks and the COVID-19 pandemic, and 16th-century French astrologer Nostradamus are being revisited. On December 31 (local time), international media outlets such as the Sunday Guardian reported that, amid growing instability in international affairs, the climate crisis, and economic uncertainty, the past statements of Baba Vanga and Nostradamus are once again attracting attention.
Baba Vanga claimed to have gained the ability to see the future after losing her eyesight in a sandstorm accident at the age of 12, and she is known for predicting the future of humanity up to the year 5079. Wikipedia
First, Baba Vanga, a blind prophet born in Bulgaria in 1911, is known to have predicted that in 2026 there would be a large-scale global conflict, worldwide natural disasters, a severe economic recession, and the possibility of contact with extraterrestrial life. In particular, she warned that this year, geopolitical tensions among major powers such as the United States, China, and Russia would escalate to extremes. Experts believe that ongoing disputes such as the Taiwan Strait issue, the Russia-Ukraine war, and the Israel-Hamas war could each serve as potential triggers for further escalation. Regarding natural disasters, she is said to have mentioned that about 7 to 8 percent of the Earth's land area could be destroyed due to massive earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and extreme weather events. The scientific community, independent of such prophecies, explains that the increasing frequency of abnormal climate events such as heatwaves, floods, and wildfires due to climate change is a scientifically verified fact. The economic outlook is also grim.
Furthermore, Baba Vanga predicted that the world economy would suffer a major blow due to currency crises, increased market volatility, and worsening inflation. She is also reported to have predicted that the center of global power and the economy would shift from the West to Asia, with China at its core. Her prophecy regarding the possibility of contact with extraterrestrial life is also drawing renewed attention. Interest in this increased after it was revealed that in July of last year, the ATLAS telescope of the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System in Rio Hurtado, Chile, observed the interstellar object '3I/ATLAS.' However, NASA determined that this object is an interstellar asteroid with a hyperbolic orbit, not a closed orbit around the sun, and drew a clear line that there is no direct connection to extraterrestrial life.
Meanwhile, Baba Vanga's real name was Vangeliya Pandeva Gushterova. She claimed to have gained the ability to see the future after losing her eyesight in a sandstorm accident at the age of 12, and she is known for predicting the future of humanity up to the year 5079. Her supporters believe that she foresaw the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the election of former U.S. President Barack Obama, the COVID-19 pandemic and the emergence of variant viruses, and massive floods in Australia and Asia. On the other hand, there are also many skeptical views that her prophecies have been interpreted retrospectively.
Analysis: A Cultural Phenomenon Reflecting Future Anxiety
Alongside Baba Vanga, the prophecies of 16th-century French astrologer Nostradamus are also being discussed again. Nostradamus's real name was Michel de Nostredame, and he was born in France in 1503. He worked as a physician and astrologer, and became famous through his book of prophecies, Les Propheties, published in 1555. The book contains 942 quatrains filled with metaphors and symbolism.
Nostradamus's real name was Michel de Nostredame, and he was born in France in 1503. He worked as a physician and astrologer. Wikipedia.
The most famous of Nostradamus's prophecies is the prediction of the end of the world in July 1999. In addition, he is said to have predicted the Great Fire of London, the French Revolution, Hitler's rise to power, and the world wars. However, because his writings mix medieval French and Latin expressions, there is significant room for interpretation, and since he did not clearly specify particular times or places, debates over their credibility continue.
Some claim that phrases in his prophecies such as "a great war for seven months," "an unprecedented disaster in two cities," and "three fires will arise from the East" hint at international conflicts and a reshuffling of power in 2026. Others interpret the line "a great swarm of bees will arise in the surprise of the night," which is the 26th quatrain, as being related to the year 2026. However, foreign media analyzed that the reason prophecies by Baba Vanga and Nostradamus attract attention every year is that cultural phenomena reflecting anxiety about the future are projected through the discourse of prophecy. The more unstable international affairs become and the greater social uncertainty grows, the more these prophecies are repeatedly brought up.
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