# The Science of Zombies **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 20, 2015, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-science-of-zombies/728325 "2015-08-20T05:52:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2015, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-science-of-zombies/728325/21 "2015-08-20T21:31:39Z")
> [@Frylock](#): > > It’s nanotech gone awry. The zombies don’t need any functioning biological systems because they are infested by nanobots originally intended to help living, normal, injured humans keep fighting while they heal. (This was a military project of course, the nanobots were supposed to help people become supersoldiers.) The nanobots went awry, ended up killing their hosts (making it impossible for them to heal) and yet kept them “functioning” after a fashion. Are you my Mummy? > [@XT](#): > > Mild spoiler alert for World War Z. > > In the book, the outbreak starts in China and basically spreads rapidly through China’s illegal organ harvesting of condemned criminals. Westerners come into China and pay for a new liver or whatever, and someone infected then goes back to their host country. In addition, as with SARS, the Chinese government (and later the North Korean government) does what it actually does in reality…they try and cover it up until the problem gets so big that they can’t, anymore. So, the initial outbreak isn’t stopped and since it’s all been covered up no one outside of China actually knows what’s going on until the outbreak is full scale. By then it’s too late. > > While this scenario has many aspects that are real life (such as how the CCP operates), I think going from a full scale outbreak in China to a global pandemic is still fairly unrealistic. But it’s not the ridiculously implausible fantasy of most of the movies and does have some basis in fact. Leaving aside the zombie question, why do you think a disease that infects most of China becoming a global pandemic is unrealistic? Seems to me a pathogen that could successfully colonize a billion people could equally well spread to the rest of us. But IANA epidemiologist. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2015, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-science-of-zombies/728325/22 "2015-08-20T23:09:30Z")
> [@Frylock](#): > > It’s nanotech gone awry. The zombies don’t need any functioning biological systems because they are infested by nanobots originally intended to help living, normal, injured humans keep fighting while they heal. (This was a military project of course, the nanobots were supposed to help people become supersoldiers.) The nanobots went awry, ended up killing their hosts (making it impossible for them to heal) and yet kept them “functioning” after a fashion. > > Why do they eat people? Because the best the nanobots can do with a dead human which they are supposed to keep in “fighting condition” is to activate the zombie’s aggression mechanisms in its brain. The zombie’s mind, such as it is, is pure animalistic hatred of all humans. And the nanotech does everything it can to keep the necessary parts of the brain and body functioning, but doesn’t much care about anything else. Is this one in production yet? The movie, I mean. 'Cause it sounds like a good one. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2015, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-science-of-zombies/728325/23 "2015-08-20T23:55:03Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > This is incorrect. No solid explanation for the zombie apocalypse is given in NotLD, but there’s a radio report where a scientist speculates that it was caused when a probe sent to Venus returned to Earth, but exploded in the upper atmosphere. And that theory had been abandoned by the sequels. Romero was right when he decided he was better off not offering an explanation for the dead reason. And the zombie outbreak in the Living Dead series doesn’t really resemble a pandemic; the rules of nature simply change overnight and any fresh corpse with an intact brain reanimates. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2015, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-science-of-zombies/728325/24 "2015-08-21T00:03:28Z")
[QUOTE=Slow Moving Vehicle] Leaving aside the zombie question, why do you think a disease that infects most of China becoming a global pandemic is unrealistic? Seems to me a pathogen that could successfully colonize a billion people could equally well spread to the rest of us. But IANA epidemiologist. [/QUOTE] Because, as with SARS, once it gets to a western nation it’s no longer going to be ignored or covered up…it’s certainly not going to spread completely out of control due to government cover-ups such as the Chinese and North Koreans regularly attempt to do in the real world. It’s going to be treated and quarantined, so I doubt it would spread as it does in the movies at that point. One of the key factors in WW-Z was that, after the Chinese lost control and started asking for help, western governments basically ignored it for a time because it was too fantastical…it was this inactivity and denial that was the final straw, especially when the military refused to believe and ended up getting overwhelmed in several key battles because they just wouldn’t believe what was happening. I think that’s where the break down is…I don’t think that governments (or the military) would bury their heads in the sand once things came out in the open, regardless of how ridiculous it would seem (i.e. zombies). Still…as was my point in that post, it’s not completely ridiculous either that something like that could spread if given a foot hold such as in the book wrt China and North Korea. IANA epidemiologist either, nor do I play one on the SDMB…nor have I stayed at a Holiday Inn Express lately, so grain of salt. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2015, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-science-of-zombies/728325/25 "2015-08-21T00:15:08Z")
> [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](#): > > Are you my Mummy? I don’t get it…? ---
**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2015, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-science-of-zombies/728325/26 "2015-08-21T00:23:49Z")
> [@](#): > > Are you my mummy? > [@Frylock](#): > > I don’t get it…? Pretty sure that was a Dr. Who reference? yes? ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2015, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-science-of-zombies/728325/27 "2015-08-21T01:38:43Z")
> [@Mijin](#): > > Nevertheless, I think most analyses are that a zombie outbreak would be relatively easy to quash once nations were aware of the nature of the threat (which actually would be pretty early on). In _Dawn Of The Dead_ it was still fairly early in the outbreak. A problem they had was that people had not adjusted to the widespread presence of undead, and wanted to have funerals and such instead of destroying the brain and burning them. In a TV interview (in the film) a scientist was trying to explain to people that the zombies were no longer their loved ones. If people don’t cooperate, the plague spreads. Of course, [destroying the brain doesn’t always work](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvOjHeyyhY0&t=2m25s). 😉 ---
**Author:** ![GrumpyBunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bc8723/32.png) [@GrumpyBunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrumpyBunny)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2015, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-science-of-zombies/728325/28 "2015-08-21T02:57:29Z")
> [@snfaulkner](#): > > Pretty sure that was a Dr. Who reference? yes? Yes. “The Empty Child” episode. ---
**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2015, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-science-of-zombies/728325/29 "2015-08-21T02:59:29Z")
> [@XT](#): > > Because, as with SARS, once it gets to a western nation it’s no longer going to be ignored or covered up…it’s certainly not going to spread completely out of control due to government cover-ups such as the Chinese and North Koreans regularly attempt to do in the real world. It’s going to be treated and quarantined, so I doubt it would spread as it does in the movies at that point. One of the key factors in WW-Z was that, after the Chinese lost control and started asking for help, western governments basically ignored it for a time because it was too fantastical…it was this inactivity and denial that was the final straw, especially when the military refused to believe and ended up getting overwhelmed in several key battles because they just wouldn’t believe what was happening. I think that’s where the break down is…I don’t think that governments (or the military) would bury their heads in the sand once things came out in the open, regardless of how ridiculous it would seem (i.e. zombies). > > Still…as was my point in that post, it’s not completely ridiculous either that something like that could spread if given a foot hold such as in the book wrt China and North Korea. > > IANA epidemiologist either, nor do I play one on the SDMB…nor have I stayed at a Holiday Inn Express lately, so grain of salt. 🙂 Sure. But if a pathogen has infected 90% of the Chinese population, ignoring or covering it up is kinda irrelevant, isn’t it? I take your point that Western public health organizations will aggressively attempt to control and treat it, but with with a billion disease vectors, couldn’t it be simply too big to contain? So it seems to me, speaking _ex cathedra_ from the seat of my pants. > [@Frylock](#): > > I don’t get it…? > [@snfaulkner](#): > > Pretty sure that was a Dr. Who reference? yes? Yep. **Frylock** ’s explanation - which was a clever bit of fanwankery; nicely done, **Fry** - is pretty much the plot of the _Doctor Who_ episodes “The Empty Child” and “The Doctor Dances”. An alien ambulance crashes during the Blitz in London, and releases a cloud of nanites, who resurrect the body of a child killed by the crash. Since the little boy was wearing a gas mask at the time, the nanites think that it’s part of his body, [and replace his face with the mask.](http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/medialibrary/s1/images/main-promo/s1_09_aud_02.jpg) He spends most of the episode following people around, asking “Are you my mummy?”. It’s one of the best _Doctor Who_ stories, and “Are you my mummy?” is something of a meme among _Who_ fans. ---
**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2015, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-science-of-zombies/728325/30 "2015-08-21T03:00:53Z")
> [@GrumpyBunny](#): > > Yes. “The Empty Child” episode. Damn. Ninja’d by a pissed-off lagomorph. ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2015, 10:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-science-of-zombies/728325/31 "2015-08-21T10:52:58Z")
In iZombie (the TV show - not sure how closely it follows the comic book), Zombies still have their body parts and can eat normal food. But they get uncontrollable cravings for human brains. But at the moment they are not huge in numbers. Brian ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2015, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-science-of-zombies/728325/32 "2015-08-21T16:24:37Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > Of course, [destroying the brain doesn’t always work](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvOjHeyyhY0&t=2m25s). 😉 “You mean… the movie LIED???” ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2015, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-science-of-zombies/728325/33 "2015-08-21T16:41:49Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > “You mean… the movie LIED???” :smack: I thought I was going to just before that line, but I was under time and volume constraints when I posted and missed it by over a minute! ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2015, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-science-of-zombies/728325/34 "2015-08-21T16:45:25Z")
> [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](#): > > Damn. Ninja’d by a pissed-off lagomorph. THERE’S something you don’t hear every day. Skipper - “That’s Hollywood for you. Any fool knows that wolfsbane is only used against werewolves.” Mary Ann - “But it was a very good picture.” Skipper - “Well, maybe so, but a glaring mistake like that makes the whole picture unbelievable.” ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2015, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-science-of-zombies/728325/35 "2015-08-21T18:48:46Z")
> [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](#): > > Yep. **Frylock** ’s explanation - which was a clever bit of fanwankery; nicely done, **Fry** - is pretty much the plot of the _Doctor Who_ episodes “The Empty Child” and “The Doctor Dances”. An alien ambulance crashes during the Blitz in London, and releases a cloud of nanites, who resurrect the body of a child killed by the crash. Since the little boy was wearing a gas mask at the time, the nanites think that it’s part of his body, [and replace his face with the mask.](http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/medialibrary/s1/images/main-promo/s1_09_aud_02.jpg) He spends most of the episode following people around, asking “Are you my mummy?”. Oh! I’ve seen that, actually! 90% sure I came up with the zombie fanwank years before seeing that episode, but maybe not–maybe I totally stole it. ---
**Author:** ![Dendarii\_Dame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbce88/32.png) [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2015, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-science-of-zombies/728325/36 "2015-08-21T20:53:28Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > Maybe, like Schrodinger’s cat, they’re both dead and alive at the same time? Then they should be in boxes. Okay, how about shipping crates? Hmm… ---
**Author:** ![Superhal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2015, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-science-of-zombies/728325/37 "2015-08-22T05:55:18Z")
> [@XT](#): > > Well, yes. That’s how most outbreaks happen. They start small and then ramp up. You get patient zero who bites someone. Then both of them bite someone. Then the 4 each bite someone. Then the 8 each bite someone…then 16…32…64…128…256…and so on. If you stop it early you are golden…if not you can see how this progression would ramp up pretty quickly. At a certain point you will basically lose control as there will be too many infected and in too diverse a location to properly quarantine. Yep, I understand that, but my thinking is that would it take months or years even. > [@TCMF-2L](#): > > In the original 1978 \*\* Dawn of the Dead \*\*by Romero the point raised in question 2 was specifically addressed: > > \*\*\* The normal question, the first question is always, are these cannibals? No, they are not cannibals. Cannibalism in the true sense of the word implies an intrapecies activity. These creatures cannot be considered human. They prey on humans. They do not prey on each other - that’s the difference. They attack and they feed only on warm human flesh.\*\*\* > > TCMF-2L My problem here is that at what point is a bitten human a zombie? The walking dead tv show is probably the worst about this, they routinely show partial remains, even just a head, still being animated, yet also show 3/4 of a corpse or more being eaten. > [@Miller](#): > > In the real world, there are a number of viruses and fungal infections that have evolved to exert a surprising amount of control over their hosts. That’s probably the best explanation, that the zombies are just trying to make more zombies rather than feed. Throw something else into the mix: In the original novel “I am Legend,” which is considered the godfather of modern zombie apocalyptic fiction, the infected did eat each other, and there was a difference between reanimated dead and living infected. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2015, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-science-of-zombies/728325/38 "2015-08-28T18:41:45Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > Maybe, like Schrodinger’s cat, they’re both dead and alive at the same time? I refuse to believe that zombies play dice. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2015, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-science-of-zombies/728325/39 "2015-08-28T18:51:37Z")
> [@GrumpyBunny](#): > > 1. What happens to the human flesh/braaaaiins they do eat? They can’t possibly digest it if their intestines are falling out. Carnivorous plants do not have intestines. The victim rots away to yummy stuff in the trap. Just sayin’. In a Southpark episode, zombies were created when a mortician dribbled his worchestershire (sp) sauce into his embalming fluid. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-science-of-zombies/728325.md?page=1)