WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (AP) - A Purdue University assistant professor says the recent Hollywood focus on apocalyptic movies is no surprise given the nation's economic climate.

Assistant professor of history Michael Ryan says every culture has a myth of destruction just as they have a myth of creation. He says destruction myths tend to surface during times of crisis, so it makes sense that some people become more interested in them during economic downturns.

Filmmakers are tapping into worries about humanity's future with apocalyptic sagas such as "2012," "The Road" and "The Book of Eli." Ryan says there was also a surge in apocalyptic predictions in 14th century Europe, fueled by the plague that killed about a third of the population there.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)