As a student of human nature, I've been fascinated by this seemingly endless ability to deny reality. With that in mind, I came up with a scenario for a sci-fi story:
Scientists discover that a massive asteroid is about to hit the Earth. If nothing is done, this will be an Extinction Level Event. They have about two years before the asteroid hits. During this time they try to get world governments to do something about it...anything from housing people in deep caverns during the blast, to funding a space program that can meet the asteroid in orbit and divert its course.
The response from the public starts out as follows: "Such a program is far too expensive. Besides, how can we even know that the scientists have the trajectory right? It could miss us."
As the asteroid gets closer and closer to the Earth, the response becomes, "Oh, those mad scientists. They're just a bunch of liars with an agenda. There is no asteroid. It's just something they dreamed up to get funding for their whacky research projects."
In the end, the asteroid hits the Earth, destroying everyone, save for a few 'mad scientists' who were able to create a facility deep in a mine shaft that allows them to ride out the asteroid strike.
If any of you writers out there would like to borrow this idea, be my guest. But I expect a free autographed copy of the book when it's published.
