The Beginning

Neon Genesis Evangelion is set in the bleak future, in the year 2015. On the year to 2000, a giant asteroid impact with the polar ice caps on Earth caused them to melt. This resulted in causing the Earth's normal sea level surge dramatically. The impact also changed the Earth's axis, causing starnge weather patterns, which killed crops and animals to accustomed to the new climate. The result of those catastrophies was that over 50% of the world's population was eradicated in the floods, famines and other disasters that followed the impact. The collision became known as the Second Impact.

The Truth

The information above was what was told to the general public to cover up the real events that were occuring in the backgrounds. The truth was man had made contact with an alien species, but not just any alien species, these were the servants of God, the Angels. What had happened was that man has found the first Angel, Adam in a dormant form. Scientists had begun to experiment with Adam to see if they could harness the power of the Angels and equal and rival the power of God. During the experimentation, Adam awakened. The scientists tried to reduce Adam to his embryo form so that his wrath would have minimal effect. Adam was reduced to an embryo, but his energy was to great and once unleashed, it saw the world suffer. This was only known to several top secret government organisations as the Second Impact, the second major asteroid impact with Earth and, as a warning to mankind to stop trying to obtain the power of God.