The year 2022 has been packed with several life-changing events including war, worsening climate change and a spike in COVID-19 cases. And as 2023 draws near, people cannot help but wonder what the new year has in store for everyone.

No wonder, many are turning once again to the prophecies of Michel Nostradame, now popularly known as Nostradamus. He was a French astrologer in the 16th century who made eerily accurate predictions about events that would happen hundreds of years later.

Shortly before his death, the fortune teller wrote, compiled and published a set of 942 quatrains, according to Marca. These were eventually published in a book called "Les Prophéties," which is reviewed and deciphered every year.

As per this book, here are what 2023 may bring:

World War and Nuclear Explosions
Nostradamus predicted that 2023 will be stained with a long war. "Seven months great war, people dead through evil," a verse in "Les Prophéties" reads, according to New York Post. It is worth noting that the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine will complete one year in February next year.

Another excerpt from the book indicates a possible global nuclear conflict. "For 40 years the rainbow will not appear. The dry land will become drier and there will be major floods," it reads, according to Marca.

A Disaster on the Red Planet
Nostradamus' predictions for 2023 are not limited to Earth. A disaster involving another planet is also said to be mentioned in the book. While making this prediction, he wrote that "celestial fire when the lights of Mars go out."

While the American space agency NASA does not plan to launch manned missions to Mars this decade, SpaceX boss Elon Musk has often stated that his long-term goal is to make humans a multi-planetary species.

The Royal Family
British author Mario Reading decrypted Nostradamus' predictions and published them in "Nostradamus: The Complete Prophecies for the Future." His interpretation suggests that Prince Harry will become the successor to the throne instead of Prince William.

"Because they disapproved of her divorce, a man they afterwards deemed unworthy; the People will cast out the King of the Isles; He will replace a Man who never expected to be king," an excerpt from Reading's book reads, Marca reported.

Nostradamus had reportedly predicted the death of Pakistan Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto in 2007, the 9/11 attacks and the 2008 economic crunch, among other notable events.

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A 16th-century edition of predictions by Nostradamus, the first book to be digitized by Google from a collection of 500,000 at the Municipal Library of Lyon, Jan. 15, 2010 REUTERS/Robert Pratta/Files
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