Apocalypse survival pods could be the secret to surviving natural disasters, but will they help you survive the end of the world? 

 

Probably not. Fortunately, the world isn't really expected to end on Dec. 21, 2012, but farmer and furniture maker Liu Qiyuan hopes his design for the massive steel and fiberglass pods will be adopted by the government for less apocalyptic times. 

 

According to a Dec. 15, 2012 report by The New York Daily News, 45-year-old Qiyuan built seven of these so-called apocalypse survival pods in his village Qiantum, which belongs to the Hebei province and is located south of Beijing, China. The shells are airtight, seat 14 people (30 in a pinch) and are designed to handle natural disasters like tsunamis and earthquakes. They even contain food, water, oxygen tanks and seat belts. 

 

Pictures of these Chinese apocalypse survival pods show that they are utilitarian in nature. They certainly weren't constructed for speed or appearance. These squat, ugly spheres do not have room for any of the comforts of home, but they could be useful in riding out a flood much like the biblical "Noah's Ark" for which the pods are named. 

 

According to Sky News via Yahoo! News, Liu Qiyuan has confidence that his thin-skinned apocalypse survival pods are strong enough to withstand waves towering nearly 3,300 feet. He said, "The pod won't have any problems even if there are 1,000-metre-high waves... it's like a ping pong ball, its skin may be thin, but it can withstand a lot of pressure." 

 

The pods are selling for £30,000, or approximately $48,528 in U.S. dollars.

 

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