The end of the world is almost upon us if Norse mythology is to be believed, which predicts the Earth will split open and release the inhabitants of the underworld on 22 February.

On Saturday, according to Norse legend at least, the series of events leading up to Ragnarok will culminate in an epic battle, where Norse gods Thor, Loki, Odin, Freyr, Hermóðr, will fight. Odin will be killed by Fenrir and the other creator gods will fall.

The Earth will fall into the sea, and life as we know it will cease to be.

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It's not all bad news though, as the world will re-emerge anew and fertile, and two human survivors will be in charge of repopulating the Earth.

Ragnarok is described in the 13th century Prose Edda, written by Snorri Sturluson. The Vikings believe Ragnarok occurs after three freezing winters, with no summers in between.

Experts from the Jorvik Viking Centre predicted the world would end on 22 February to coincide with the grand finale of the 30th JORVIK Viking Festival.

Shape Created with Sketch. In pictures: Vikings 'Up Helly Aa' fire festival in Lerwick Show all 15 left Created with Sketch. right Created with Sketch. Shape Created with Sketch. In pictures: Vikings 'Up Helly Aa' fire festival in Lerwick 1/15 Shetland Islands The torches of the Jarl Squad are lit as they march through the streets of Lerwick 2/15 Shetland Islands The Jarl Squad march through the streets of Lerwick 3/15 Shetland Islands The Jarl Squad march around a Viking Longship before torching it 4/15 Shetland Islands The Jarl Squad throw their flaming torches into the galley 5/15 Shetland Islands A participant from the Jarl Squad marches through the streets of Lerwick during the festival of fire, known as 'Up Helly Aa' 6/15 Shetland Islands The Guizer Jarl, Ivor Cluness and his Jarl Squad march through the streets of Lerwick 7/15 Shetland Islands Locals dressed as Vikings pose in the streets of Lerwick in the Shetland Islands 8/15 Shetland Islands 'Up Helly Aa' fire festival is the biggest event in Shetland's long dark winter 9/15 Shetland Islands The traditional festival of fire is known as 'Up Helly Aa'. The spectacular event takes place annually on the last Tuesday of January 10/15 Shetland Islands The climax of the festival comes with participants in full costume hauling a Viking longboat through the streets of Lerwick to the edge of town where up to 1000 people parade and throw their flaming torches into the galley 11/15 Shetland Islands 'Up Helly Aa' celebrates the influence of the Scandinavian Vikings in the Shetland Islands and culminates with up to 1,000 'guizers' (men in costume) throwing flaming torches into their Viking longboat and setting it alight later in the evening 12/15 Shetland Islands A man dressed as Viking stops for refreshment at the local pub in Lerwick 13/15 Shetland Islands Young participant prepares to march through the streets of Lerwick 14/15 Shetland Islands 'Up Helly Aa' celebrates the influence of the Scandinavian vikings in the Shetland Islands and has employed this theme in the festival since 1870 15/15 Shetland Islands Young participants take part in a Viking procession during the annual 'Up Helly Aa' festival in Lerwick 1/15 Shetland Islands The torches of the Jarl Squad are lit as they march through the streets of Lerwick 2/15 Shetland Islands The Jarl Squad march through the streets of Lerwick 3/15 Shetland Islands The Jarl Squad march around a Viking Longship before torching it 4/15 Shetland Islands The Jarl Squad throw their flaming torches into the galley 5/15 Shetland Islands A participant from the Jarl Squad marches through the streets of Lerwick during the festival of fire, known as 'Up Helly Aa' 6/15 Shetland Islands The Guizer Jarl, Ivor Cluness and his Jarl Squad march through the streets of Lerwick 7/15 Shetland Islands Locals dressed as Vikings pose in the streets of Lerwick in the Shetland Islands 8/15 Shetland Islands 'Up Helly Aa' fire festival is the biggest event in Shetland's long dark winter 9/15 Shetland Islands The traditional festival of fire is known as 'Up Helly Aa'. The spectacular event takes place annually on the last Tuesday of January 10/15 Shetland Islands The climax of the festival comes with participants in full costume hauling a Viking longboat through the streets of Lerwick to the edge of town where up to 1000 people parade and throw their flaming torches into the galley 11/15 Shetland Islands 'Up Helly Aa' celebrates the influence of the Scandinavian Vikings in the Shetland Islands and culminates with up to 1,000 'guizers' (men in costume) throwing flaming torches into their Viking longboat and setting it alight later in the evening 12/15 Shetland Islands A man dressed as Viking stops for refreshment at the local pub in Lerwick 13/15 Shetland Islands Young participant prepares to march through the streets of Lerwick 14/15 Shetland Islands 'Up Helly Aa' celebrates the influence of the Scandinavian vikings in the Shetland Islands and has employed this theme in the festival since 1870 15/15 Shetland Islands Young participants take part in a Viking procession during the annual 'Up Helly Aa' festival in Lerwick

According to the group, the sound of an ancient horn could be heard across the rooftops of York on 15 November last year, as “a portent of doom and the beginning of a countdown to the Norse apocalypse”.

The horn belonged to Norse god Heimdallr, who would blow it to mark 100 days before impending doom and a countdown is now running on the festival website.

Festival director Danielle Daglan said: "Ragnarok is the ultimate landmark in Viking mythology, when the gods fall and die, so this really is an event that should not be underestimated.

“In the last couple of years, we’ve had predictions of […] numerous dates where the end of the world has been pencilled in by seers, fortune tellers and visionaries, but the sound of the horn is possibly the best indicator yet that the Viking version of the end of the world really will happen on 22 February next year.”

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'Norsemen' from across Britain will converge on York to celebrate the Jorvik festival, which runs from 15 to 23 February. The festival is running its own dedicated social media feed where participants will be encouraged to tweet using the hashtag #ragnarok2014.

The festival is even promising to equip visitors "with the tools to survive the apocalypse, from hunting for the mightiest and strongest warriors to training children in combat skills", Ms Daglan added.

Should the apocalypse not occur on Saturday, it will join a string of failed predictions including the Mayan Apocalypse that said the world would be destroyed by an interplanetary object on 21 December 2012.