Why tens of millions of Americans now believe the end is near

About one-third of Americans believe the world will end during their lifetime, according to survey data cited in the article, and this apocalyptic belief is shaping how they view global threats and respond to them. The widespread adoption of end-times thinking has prompted some to take extreme measures aimed at preventing catastrophe, though the article does not specify what those measures entail. This mindset has potential implications for how Americans approach policy decisions on existential risks, from climate change to nuclear war to pandemic preparedness. The prevalence of such beliefs—held by tens of millions—suggests apocalyptic thinking has moved from fringe religious or doomsday communities into mainstream American consciousness. Understanding the scale of this belief is relevant to how policymakers and institutions address public concern about global-scale threats.