Hundreds of years ago, the ancient Incan people believed solar eclipses were a sign of the all-powerful sun god’s anger.
That’s fair enough, but science and astronomy have moved on quite a bit since then, helping explain and predict the stunning celestial events.
Yet that didn’t stop Georgia congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene writing on X: ‘God is sending America strong signs to tell us to repent.
‘Earthquakes and eclipses and many more things to come.
‘I pray that our country listens.’
We’re not sure that something as awe-inspiring as a solar eclipse can be seen as any sort of punishment, but sadly Ms Taylor Greene isn’t the only person pedalling conspiracy theories about today’s eclipse.
Nor, shockingly, is she even the most influential.
Alex Jones, host of Infowars, used an event on X Spaces to discuss ‘what the globalists have planned for the imminent total solar eclipse’.
Guest Andrew Meyer, described by Mr Jones as ‘an expert on this’, used the platform to share his hot take.
‘The globalists, obviously, they want to make a big push for evil, negative energy,’ said Mr Meyer.
‘They want to inject the seed of every new year with negative energy because that’s what they harvest.’
In a separate post on X, Mr Jones shared a video packed full of conspiracy theories alongside the words: ‘Major events surrounding the April 8 solar eclipse. Masonic rituals planned worldwide to usher in New World Order.’
The presenter was only recently allowed back on the platform after being banned in 2018 for abusive behaviour. He has also been ordered to pay more than $1 billion in compensation to the families of the victims of the 2012 Sandy Hook school shooting after repeatedly calling the tragedy a hoax.
Over on his Infowars show, guest host Mike Adams told followers that scientists studying the eclipse are using it for ‘nefarious plans’.
‘The globalists, they believe these events have special powers,’ he said.
‘So they are lining up important things in their minds, things to summon power.
‘They are using the solar eclipse as a justification for the nefarious plans they intend to carry out.’
For some, these plans include the imposition of martial law, and for others, a full-blown dictatorship.
Wired shared the case of one well-known conspiracy theorist known as the Health Ranger, who wrote that the eclipse ‘sure would be the perfect cover story if our terrorist government wanted to take down the power grid and cause mass chaos while blocking all citizen communications.
‘Kinda convenient if you want to declare martial law and unleash a dictatorship before Trump can win in November.’
Of course, authorities recommending people in the path of the eclipse stock up on food and other supplies have only fuelled these theories, despite the fact the warning is due to the influx of tourists along the path of totality.
On the subject of the path of totality, poor Nasa has been getting some flack for warning its map showing where 100% coverage will occur may not be entirely accurate along the edges, meaning some who were expecting to see a total eclipse will be disappointed.
But that isn’t the only story about Nasa. Even this most cherished of US institutions can’t escape the web of conspiracy theorists. During the eclipse the space agency will launch three satellites as part of its Atmospheric Perturbations around Eclipse Path (APEP) mission.
Now in a rather unfortunate coincidence, Apep is also the ancient Egyptian god of chaos, known for death and destruction.
Then there’s the fact that comet 12P/Pons-Brooks – aka the ‘Devil comet’ – may also be visible to the naked eye during the eclipse.
Very Doomsday, and very convenient for those who believe the eclipse is even bigger than bringing in a New World Order. It is simply the End of Days.
Apparently, it will start in Carbondale, Illinois. Not the first place the solar eclipse will be visible, but the spot where the 2017 eclipse was also visible. A statistical anomaly yes, given most places on Earth only witness a total solar eclipse around every 400 years, but not a sign of the apocalypse.
Even if the two paths do form a cross.
When you think about it, they’re actually extremely lucky to witness such an incredible celestial event not once, but twice in their lifetimes – something billions of people will never get to experience.
But if you do want to spend your last hours on Earth watching the Moon temporarily block the Sun in a very non-threatening way, but don’t live in the path of destruction, check out Nasa’s livestream here.
Happy eclipse day!