New Zealand could grow hugely in size and become "the glory land" if Earth moved on its polar axis, according to a recently revealed futuristic map of the world.
In an article published by financial news outlet Forbes, writer Jim Dobson unearthed detailed maps of an apocalyptic future world, created by 1980s futurist Gordon-Michael Scallion.
While the maps have no scientific basis, and Mr Scallion's theories of planetary shifts have been deemed nonsense, there is some scientific probability of an asteroid colliding with Earth and causing some major world changes.
The article suggests fear of such an apocalypse is driving many of the world's wealthiest people to buy huge amounts of land around the globe, away from coastlines.
Writer Jim Dobson refers to a number of billionaires in the United States who own millions of acres of land and are preparing "vacation homes" in remote places, conducive to self-survival, with private planes ready to take them there in an emergency.
Is there something they know that we don't? Perhaps there's more to James Cameron and Peter Thiel's recent New Zealand real estate purchases than meets the eye?
Based on "prognosticators and much criticised theorists", Mr Dobson's article provides an entertaining and utterly non-academic list of predicted land changes if Earth's pole was to shift.
Australia and New Zealand are popular locations, the article says, with the agricultural resources to sustain potential global disaster survivors.
The futuristic map of New Zealand shows the country as one large land mass, stretching across all of its islands and even up to New Caledonia.
"New Zealand will quickly become the glory land, and ultimately become one of the safest areas in the entire world," the article says.
While New Zealand's land mass grows, Australia shrinks due to coastal flooding. The result could be great for Auckland house prices and for the Australian deserts which would become good land for farming.
It appears a stretch of land would develop from the bottom of New Zealand's new land mass to the bottom of Australia, which used to be the island of Tasmania. That could cause big problems for Australia's Border Force.
Another potential benefit for New Zealand is that nearby continent Antarctica would also become fertile, with rich soil and space for farming.
Meanwhile, much of Europe, and nearly all of Scandinavia would disappear beneath the sea. London would be one of the surviving islands.
But a NASA report is reassuring.
"Many doomsday theorists have tried to take this natural geological occurrence and suggest it could lead to Earth's destruction. But would there be any dramatic effects? The answer, from the geologic and fossil records we have from hundreds of past magnetic polarity reversals, seems to be 'no.'," the report says.
"There is nothing in the millions of years of geologic record to suggest that any of the doomsday scenarios connected to a pole reversal should be taken seriously."
Newshub.
