If the clips transmits a clear message that funny people believe in strange things like planet X, then it is the responsibility to debunk that claim and expose the insanity of the claim with science and show that this is impossible. This transmits a clear message to the kids that there is a happy end.

Thanks for your post. One or two things I have to disagree with:

I really enjoy the multi-media presentations on such things as 2012, Planet X, and future apocolytic predictions! Its the same kind of interest one might have sitting around the campfire listening to compelling stories.

What you have to remember is that people who are posting videos about nibiru, planet X etc are doing so and presenting these videos as fact. YouTube can be accessed by anyone, and I think it's disgusting that these people upload these videos with the intention of causing unnecessary alarm and anxiety. It's ok for you or me, we both know it's a pile of trash, but kids and adults with underlying anxiety are very vulnerable to this sort of thing.

I look at it with more of a science fiction point of view.

Again, that's great, but this is not the intent of the video maker.

We can't stop people from expressing their freedom of speech, but we can take these as opportunities to teach real science just as this website does.

Very true, I agree 100%.

I probably would have never been motivated to learn about Kepler's Law or how astronomer's detect planets if it were not for all the stories about Nibiru or Planet X

I think that applies to a fair few of us here, myself included. I suppose it is a kind of flip side to this hoax, but education shouldn't be fear based, we should learn because we want to, not because we have to. I'm addicted to science now, and I'm a little pissed that I never educated myself on many of these topics before this doomsday nonsense.

Don't let the hoaxers scare you, just to entertain you and most importantly motivate you to learn the real science that sets things straight. ;-)

Great point, this is definitely an approach that should be taken by anyone who's scared by this nonsense, but it's easier said than done sometimes. This forum is full of people who just cannot shake this fear no matter what evidence we present on the contrary to claims they've heard.

Thanks again for your comments, and welcome to the site.

We can't stop people from expressing their freedom of speech, but we can take these as opportunities to teach real science just as this website does. Thanks for this excellent website.