The Science of Zombies (part 1 and 2)
Perhaps because they were easier to control and kill, zombies never acquired the cachet of their undead cousins, the vampires. This phenomenon extended to science: zombie research was considered a less glamorous field and consistently lagged behind vampire research in funding. Since development of the vaccine in 1911, the zombie threat has been greatly reduced. However, this should not make us complacent. Most experts believe that in today's world, a zombie outbreak is far more likely than a vampire outbreak.The Virus
Zombie plague spreaders:
the Norway Rat and the tick (inset)
The zombie virus comes from the same Mononegavirales family as the Human Vampiric Virus. The virus is propagated mainly through ticks of the family Ixodidae. The prevalence of these ticks in tropical climes is the main reason for the large number of outbreaks in those regions. The nature of the spread of zombie plagues generally depended on the place of origin. Most urban plagues were spread by aggressive rats that had been bitten by an infected tick. In the country, the tick would bite humans directly, or pass the virus through mice, raccoons and other animals.
As was the case with vampirism, humans infected with the virus would pass it from their saliva into the bloodstream of another through the bite.
Stages of the Disease
The stages of zombie transformation are the same that occur in vampires, with two major differences: in zombies, the onset of symptoms and transformation occurs much faster and has no relation to the cycles of day and night.
Stage One: Infection. Symptoms of zombie infection appear quickly: within one or two hours, the victim will develop a headache, fever, chills and other flu-like symptoms. Zombie infections last about half as long as their vampiric counterparts, mostly between three and six hours, during which the vaccine is 100 percent effective.
Stage Two: Coma. Zombie comas are considerably more brief than vampiric comas. While physiological changes-slow pulse, shallow breathing-are similar, the coma lasts only between four and six hours. Only the very young and very old do not survive zombie comas. Zombies have been found as young as five years old and as old as 90. As with vampires, the vaccine is 50 percent effective when administered during Stage Two of the infection: the longer the victim has been in the coma, the less effective the vaccine.
Stage Three: Transformation. Zombies awaken from their comas in a catatonic state. They are unresponsive to most stimuli as they shuffle about, trying to locate their prey. Unlike vampires, there is no acclimation period; a zombie will begin hunting immediately upon transformation.1905
Because of their catatonic state, zombies have been unable to offer any personal testimony to augment scientific research. Therefore, all we know about zombies is based upon empirical evidence. A person infected with the zombie virus is transformed into a single-minded hunting machine, with all changes to bodily functions serving the zombie imperative: locate prey, capture prey and feed. Overall, the changes that take place in zombies are more limited and primarily affect the nervous system and the muscular/skeletal system.
Brain/Nervous System
This system has been of great interest to researchers, as zombie nervous tissue appears to have regenerative properties not found in humans.
Spine/nervous system: zombies have exhibited the ability to withstand significant trauma to their central nervous system. In a famous series of experiments conducted by FVZA scientists in 1972, zombies who had their spinal cords severed regained the ability to walk within 24 hours. Thus far, researchers have been unable to unlock the mechanism for this process of repair.Dopamine: the smell of living flesh triggers a large release of this adrenaline-like neurotransmitter into the zombie brain
Zombie plague spreaders:
the Norway Rat and the tick (inset)
The zombie virus comes from the same Mononegavirales family as the Human Vampiric Virus. The virus is propagated mainly through ticks of the family Ixodidae. The prevalence of these ticks in tropical climes is the main reason for the large number of outbreaks in those regions. The nature of the spread of zombie plagues generally depended on the place of origin. Most urban plagues were spread by aggressive rats that had been bitten by an infected tick. In the country, the tick would bite humans directly, or pass the virus through mice, raccoons and other animals.
As was the case with vampirism, humans infected with the virus would pass it from their saliva into the bloodstream of another through the bite.
Stages of the Disease
The stages of zombie transformation are the same that occur in vampires, with two major differences: in zombies, the onset of symptoms and transformation occurs much faster and has no relation to the cycles of day and night.
Stage One: Infection. Symptoms of zombie infection appear quickly: within one or two hours, the victim will develop a headache, fever, chills and other flu-like symptoms. Zombie infections last about half as long as their vampiric counterparts, mostly between three and six hours, during which the vaccine is 100 percent effective.
Stage Two: Coma. Zombie comas are considerably more brief than vampiric comas. While physiological changes-slow pulse, shallow breathing-are similar, the coma lasts only between four and six hours. Only the very young and very old do not survive zombie comas. Zombies have been found as young as five years old and as old as 90. As with vampires, the vaccine is 50 percent effective when administered during Stage Two of the infection: the longer the victim has been in the coma, the less effective the vaccine.
Stage Three: Transformation. Zombies awaken from their comas in a catatonic state. They are unresponsive to most stimuli as they shuffle about, trying to locate their prey. Unlike vampires, there is no acclimation period; a zombie will begin hunting immediately upon transformation.1905
Because of their catatonic state, zombies have been unable to offer any personal testimony to augment scientific research. Therefore, all we know about zombies is based upon empirical evidence. A person infected with the zombie virus is transformed into a single-minded hunting machine, with all changes to bodily functions serving the zombie imperative: locate prey, capture prey and feed. Overall, the changes that take place in zombies are more limited and primarily affect the nervous system and the muscular/skeletal system.
Brain/Nervous System
This system has been of great interest to researchers, as zombie nervous tissue appears to have regenerative properties not found in humans.
Spine/nervous system: zombies have exhibited the ability to withstand significant trauma to their central nervous system. In a famous series of experiments conducted by FVZA scientists in 1972, zombies who had their spinal cords severed regained the ability to walk within 24 hours. Thus far, researchers have been unable to unlock the mechanism for this process of repair.Dopamine: the smell of living flesh triggers a large release of this adrenaline-like neurotransmitter into the zombie brain
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Horseface Jon on -
BRAINAASSSSSSSS
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Permalink Reply by Doctor Spud on -
This entire topic is reasonable except for the part about the brain/head destruction. If 3/4 of the head were lost, the zombie would have no way of doing anything, mainly because the most important body parts for the zombie are located there: the mouth, the nose, and of course the brain. Headless zombies are not scientifically possible because the virus mainly affects the brain and head.
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Permalink Reply by Richard McAdam on -
Question..can zombies swim? I'm on a fortified island,can they do some type of dog paddle? or should I move to a bunker?
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Permalink Reply by mcneal on -
no zombies cannot swim but they CAN walk underwater,some zombies have lost their track and gotton lost in the sea until they completly disinigrated or was eaten! so if i was you,be alert when around water!
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Permalink Reply by Hands of Death on -
There are also floaters. This happens when the bodies get bloated and they tend to float up to the surface ot just underneath the surface of the water.
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Permalink Reply by Hunter on -
I highly doubt that there is a 'vaccine' there is no cure, they can't regenerate, and there arn't vampires, just people with blood decifiecency
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Permalink Reply by Destroyer on -
I think that was the dumbest coment you could have pulled from your ass... Try harder next time... Thanks
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Permalink Reply by alex m. edwards on -
no it dose make alot of sence
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Permalink Reply by alex m. edwards on
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that is from the fvza
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Permalink Reply by Darklancer on -
A zombie is human until they reach the coma state, at this point organs are shutting down or simple put kicking the bucket. The virus causes an electrical pulse to the brain that revives part of the brain which inturn continues the flow of electrical pulses through out the nervous system and such. Certain enzymes are charged by the current given off and causes them to 'feed' on the body, like a starving survivor their body eats itself. This reason is what causes the feeding Dopamine is just a catalyst to start the need. As for the fractioned brain by gun shot or a severe trama it is very unlikely the zombie would continue to function as most of the basic motor skills like arm and leg movement is located there. Trama would cause bleeding which would kill those 'memory cells' we have that retains that knowledge. As for the maimed zombie the nervous system repairing itself is possible but highly unlikely. Most of the scientists findings are very accurate.
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