Nearly One-Third of Americans Expect World To End in Their Lifetime

Apocalypse thinking is surprisingly common and may influence how people react to major global risks, a new study has found.

Published on Mar. 10, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

New research has revealed that belief in the end of the world is surprisingly common across North America, with nearly one-third of Americans surveyed saying they believe the world will end within their lifetime. These apocalyptic beliefs are significantly influencing how people interpret and respond to the most pressing threats facing humanity, such as climate change, pandemics, and emerging technologies.

Why it matters

Apocalyptic beliefs can lead to very different responses to societal issues, with those who believe the end is near and caused by humans perceiving higher levels of danger and supporting more extreme measures to address global threats, while those who believe divine forces control it are less likely to support preventive action. This can create disagreements across cultural groups that make it difficult to coordinate responses to global risks.

The details

The research, conducted by social psychologist Matthew I. Billet of the University of California, Irvine, surveyed more than 3,400 people across the U.S. and Canada. The study found that apocalyptic beliefs are far from rare, with nearly one-third of U.S. respondents saying they believe the world will end within their lifetime. The researchers developed a comprehensive psychological measure of end-of-world beliefs, identifying five key dimensions that matter for how people think and act: perceived closeness, anthropogenic causality, theogenic causality, personal control, and emotional valence.

  • The survey was conducted in 2026.

The players

Matthew I. Billet

A social psychologist at the University of California, Irvine and the lead author of the study.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“Belief in the end of the world is surprisingly common across North America, and it's significantly influencing how people interpret and respond to the most pressing threats facing humanity.”

— Matthew I. Billet, Social psychologist (Newsweek)

The takeaway

Understanding the diverse beliefs and narratives people hold about the end of the world is essential for building consensus around addressing global risks like climate change, pandemics, and emerging technologies. Dismissing apocalyptic fears as irrational can undermine efforts to coordinate responses to these genuine catastrophic threats facing humanity.