Good news, everyone! The end of the world won't take place in 2012. Hooray!

Sven Gronemeyer of Australia's La Trobe University says that his interpretation of certain hieroglyphs indicate that though 21 December 2012 is an important date for the ancient Mayan people, it won't necessarily be apocalyptic.

"The date acquired a symbolic value because it is seen as a reflection of the day of creation," Gronemeyer said whilst at an archaeological site in Palenque, Mexico. "It is the passage of a god and not necessarily a great leap for humanity."

His research shows that 21/12/2012 heralds the arrival of the Mayan god of creation and war, Bolon Yokte, 5,125 years after Mayan Long Count calendar began back in 3113 B.C.

His reappearance on earth is meant to indicate a new era on the planet, but not a destructive one.

Decoding the stone tablet in question - originally found at Tortuguero in the Mexican province of Tabasco - was especially difficult for Gronemeyer as it's 1,300 years old - and had a crack right through the middle of it.

This is the latest attempt by a group of Mayan archaeology experts to dismiss the popular belief that 2012 will be the end of all time, a rumour perpetuated by internet forums and cinema-goers who somehow genuinely believe in Roland Emmerich's disaster movie, 2012.