Will Nostradamus’ 2017 Predictions Come True
“A battle at sunset Shortly before sunset, battle is engaged. A great nation is uncertain. Overcome, the sea port makes no answer, the bridge and the grave both in foreign places.” These words were written by Nostradamus in the 16th century. They are a prediction, a prophecy. According to conspiracy theorist Lukas Magnuson, it refers to an imminent third world war, which will take place in 2017. Nostradamus was born in France in 1503. He rose to fame as a physician, after treating bubonic plague victims. But his everlasting fame came from his incredible ability to predict the future, especially in his 1555 book, “The Prophecies”.
Nostradamus is credited with predicting world changing events like the moon landing, the rise of Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler and the assassination of President Kennedy. But what did he predict for 2017? One prophecy says: “Twice put up and twice cast down, the East will also weaken the West. Its adversary after several battles chased by sea will fail at a time of need.” Writer Ashok K. Sharma argues, “This seems to describe the geopolitical state... it appears that Asia will make two violent attacks upon the Western powers... But finally the East will lose at sea.” Specifically, it might allude to the heightening tensions between the U.S. and North Korea.
In July 2017 North Korea tested its highly destructive new intercontinental ballistic missile, capable of traveling over 6,700 kilometres. This means its range is massive enough to reach American soil. As journalist Bruce E. Bechtol Jr. says of the development, “the truth is that the threat North Korea poses today to the United States has taken yet another important step forward.” Even the American government appears to be preparing for North Korean attacks.
In August 2017 Republican Senator Lindsey Graham stated, “There is a military option to destroy North Korea's [missile] program and North Korea itself... If there's going to be a war to stop them, it will be over there. If thousands die, they're going to die over there, they're not going to die here and [President Trump] told me that to my face." Indeed, after North Korea announced its intention to launch a missile close to the U.S. territory of Guam, Donald Trump promised to respond with “fire and fury”. The prophecy’s line about “battles chased at sea” could refer to the drawn out conflict in the South China Sea.
This dispute is between China and several Southeast Asian countries over the strategically important body of water. In 2017 U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson announced America’s intention to stop China building military bases in the South China Sea. He said “send China a clear signal that, first, the island-building stops, and second, your access to those islands also is not going to be allowed.” If Nostradamus is correct, these tensions might escalate to conflict by the end of the year.
Besides war, the prophet also warned of terrifying disruptions to the world’s climate. He foresaw that, “For forty years the rainbow will not be seen. For forty years it will be seen every day. The dry earth will grow more parched, and there will be great floods when it is seen.” Journalist Mona Punjabi says this must refer to the devastating results of climate change, as the Earth’s temperature rises too far because of human activity. The effects described by Nostradamus can already be seen. In July 2017 the Italian government introduced water rationing for 8 hours every day to residents of Rome, due to shortages.
Similarly, a drought in Spain’s Galicia region has left reservoirs holding just 25% of their normal water supplies. A 2013 study the US Academy of Sciences forecast the “frequency of drought may increase by more than 20% in some regions” around the world as the atmosphere continues to heat up at the current rate. Disturbingly, this is not the only part of the prophecy that has come true. In July 2017 floods in the Indian state of Gujarat left 130,000 people homeless and over 200 dead.
Just months earlier, catastrophic flooding in Sri Lanka left 600,000 displaced. In June 2017, the former UN climate chief announced the world has barely three years left which to prevent the most dangerous effects of climate change. If this is true, this year could see the start of Nostradamus’ predicted cataclysm. Nostradamus also appears to have predicted a spate of 2017 terrorist attacks. ”The great man will be struck down in the day by a thunderbolt. An evil deed, foretold by the bearer of a petition. According to the prediction another falls at night time. Conflict at Reims, London, and pestilence in Tuscany.” Before the 2017 summer had even begun, three bloody terrorist attacks took place in London.
The first occurred when lone ranger Khalid Masood rammed his car into pedestrians walking along Westminster Bridge, killing 4 and injuring over 50 others. However, there is nothing to suggest that either Reims or Tuscany will experience the conflict or epidemic disease that Nostradamus predicted. This may be because many of the so-called “translations” of Nostradamus’ work are flawed. Science writer Brian Dunning explains that the vast majority are deliberately doctored by modern translators, to scaremonger or to publicise themselves. Dunning notes that “most of the alleged predictions ‘made’ by Nostradamus are in fact the result of misinterpretations.” Originally, Nostradamus wrote his prophecies in French, organised in 4 line verses called quatrains.
When Nostradamus first published his prophecies in annual Almanacs, they were met with a mixed reception. Many of his predictions failed to come true even during his lifetime, and he frequently miscalculated clients’ birth dates and astrological charts due to his lack of training. In fact, his prophecies were so off the mark that many of his first readers suspected him of being a crook,. Despite this, he gained a powerful patron in the Queen of France, Catherine de Medici. She installed him in her court, where he remained until his death. This may explain why his works remain influential today. Indeed, the vagueness of his predictions means that they are liable to be twisted to fit any real world events.
As author Kala Ambrose notes, “Late 20th-century interpreters have seen far more associations with more recent conflict than [their] predecessors... We as humans tend to see history [as part of the story we are living] and consequently twist the words of Nostradamus.” But perhaps most importantly, as philosopher Karl Popper said, “We cannot… predict the future course of human history.” Scientifically, it is currently impossible. Therefore, the likelihood of Nostradamus predicting world changing events centuries before they happen is almost certainly part of modern folklore - not reality.
Nostradamus made many perturbing predictions for the future. But a lot of their value comes down to how later researchers translate and interpret his words. The vagueness of his prophecies means that many of them are open to interpretation - saying more about the people who push these theories, than Nostradamus’ writings. For now then, it may be wiser to take his forecasts with a pinch of salt.
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