FOR INFORMATION PLEASE EMAIL ZOMBIE_KILLAH@LIVE.COM
Monday, November 16, 2009
Doctors found ways to reanimate dead tissue
Doctors in Philadelphia have found a way to reanimiate dead tissue. Let me be clear, as the original article is a little misleading. Doctors have found a way of prolonging decay and physical/mental death in patients who have been pronounced clinically dead.
When a person dies, their cells begin to deteriorate and die as well, leading to what we know as “death”. Prolonging this decay and starving cells and bacteria of oxygen can lead to prolonging one’s death. Children found at the bottom of pools have been successfully revived because their bodies were kept cold and limited of oxygen. During cardiac arrest, the heart stops beating – it’s usually fatal and people are often declared dead within minutes. Doctors at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania Hospital are bringing people “back from the dead”.
When a person dies, their cells begin to deteriorate and die as well, leading to what we know as “death”. Prolonging this decay and starving cells and bacteria of oxygen can lead to prolonging one’s death. Children found at the bottom of pools have been successfully revived because their bodies were kept cold and limited of oxygen. During cardiac arrest, the heart stops beating – it’s usually fatal and people are often declared dead within minutes. Doctors at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania Hospital are bringing people “back from the dead”.
Sunday, November 15, 2009
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT ZOMBIES?
There are many verses that speak about the dead rising first. The Bible actually speaks of the dead rising.
1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 (New International Version)
16For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. 18Therefore encourage each other with these words.
Mark 12:26
And as touching the dead, that they rise: have ye not read in the book of Moses, how in the bush God spake unto him, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?
Revelation 20:5
GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
The rest of the dead did not live until the 1,000 years ended. This is the first time that people come back to life.
and the most interesting verse about the dead rising in the Bible is when Christ dies.
Matthew 27:45-53 Now from the sixth hour darkness fell upon all the land until the ninth hour. 46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “ Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani ?”that is, “ My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me ?” 47 And some of those who were standing there, when they heard it, began saying, “This man is calling for Elijah.” 48 And immediately one of them ran, and taking a sponge, he filled it with sour wine, and put it on a reed, and gave Him a drink. 49 But the rest of them said, “Let us see whether Elijah will come to save Him.” 50 And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit. 51 And behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom, and the earth shook; and the rocks were split, 52 and the tombs were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; 53 and coming out of the tombs after His resurrection they entered the holy city and appeared to many.
So you see even the Bible speaks of the dead rising. I speak to many Christians about this subject and it is one they do not like to talk about. Why? It is in plain black and white that the dead will rise in the "return of Christ". So if you are a Christian that is proof enough that there will be zombies. Call me crazy but that is even more horrific that the conservative nature of religion (christianity) and it speaks of the dead rising. Interesting yet ironic in the same sentence.
But this is just some of the many verses that explain the dead rising in the Holy Bible.
1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 (New International Version)
16For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. 18Therefore encourage each other with these words.
Mark 12:26
And as touching the dead, that they rise: have ye not read in the book of Moses, how in the bush God spake unto him, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?
Revelation 20:5
GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
The rest of the dead did not live until the 1,000 years ended. This is the first time that people come back to life.
and the most interesting verse about the dead rising in the Bible is when Christ dies.
Matthew 27:45-53 Now from the sixth hour darkness fell upon all the land until the ninth hour. 46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “ Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani ?”that is, “ My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me ?” 47 And some of those who were standing there, when they heard it, began saying, “This man is calling for Elijah.” 48 And immediately one of them ran, and taking a sponge, he filled it with sour wine, and put it on a reed, and gave Him a drink. 49 But the rest of them said, “Let us see whether Elijah will come to save Him.” 50 And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit. 51 And behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom, and the earth shook; and the rocks were split, 52 and the tombs were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; 53 and coming out of the tombs after His resurrection they entered the holy city and appeared to many.
So you see even the Bible speaks of the dead rising. I speak to many Christians about this subject and it is one they do not like to talk about. Why? It is in plain black and white that the dead will rise in the "return of Christ". So if you are a Christian that is proof enough that there will be zombies. Call me crazy but that is even more horrific that the conservative nature of religion (christianity) and it speaks of the dead rising. Interesting yet ironic in the same sentence.
But this is just some of the many verses that explain the dead rising in the Holy Bible.
Saturday, October 31, 2009
IF YOU NEED TO REPORT A ZOMBIE ATTACK
PLEASE EMAIL WITH PICTURES TO zombie_killah@live.com or message with pictures to www.myspace.com/thezombiekillah
WE TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY SO MAKE SURE GIVE US AN ACCURATE DETAIL OF THE EVENT.
WE TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY SO MAKE SURE GIVE US AN ACCURATE DETAIL OF THE EVENT.
HAPPY HALLOWEEN 2009
Here is a brief breakdown of the history of Halloween. By far the greatest holiday ever created.
Halloween's origins date back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain (pronounced sow-in).
The Celts, who lived 2,000 years ago in the area that is now Ireland, the United Kingdom, and northern France, celebrated their new year on November 1. This day marked the end of summer and the harvest and the beginning of the dark, cold winter, a time of year that was often associated with human death. Celts believed that on the night before the new year, the boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead became blurred. On the night of October 31, they celebrated Samhain, when it was believed that the ghosts of the dead returned to earth. In addition to causing trouble and damaging crops, Celts thought that the presence of the otherworldly spirits made it easier for the Druids, or Celtic priests, to make predictions about the future. For a people entirely dependent on the volatile natural world, these prophecies were an important source of comfort and direction during the long, dark winter.
To commemorate the event, Druids built huge sacred bonfires, where the people gathered to burn crops and animals as sacrifices to the Celtic deities.
During the celebration, the Celts wore costumes, typically consisting of animal heads and skins, and attempted to tell each other's fortunes. When the celebration was over, they re-lit their hearth fires, which they had extinguished earlier that evening, from the sacred bonfire to help protect them during the coming winter.
By A.D. 43, Romans had conquered the majority of Celtic territory. In the course of the four hundred years that they ruled the Celtic lands, two festivals of Roman origin were combined with the traditional Celtic celebration of Samhain.
The History of Halloween.
The first was Feralia, a day in late October when the Romans traditionally commemorated the passing of the dead. The second was a day to honor Pomona, the Roman goddess of fruit and trees. The symbol of Pomona is the apple and the incorporation of this celebration into Samhain probably explains the tradition of "bobbing" for apples that is practiced today on Halloween.
By the 800s, the influence of Christianity had spread into Celtic lands. In the seventh century, Pope Boniface IV designated November 1 All Saints' Day, a time to honor saints and martyrs. It is widely believed today that the pope was attempting to replace the Celtic festival of the dead with a related, but church-sanctioned holiday. The celebration was also called All-hallows or All-hallowmas (from Middle English Alholowmesse meaning All Saints' Day) and the night before it, the night of Samhain, began to be called All-hallows Eve and, eventually, Halloween. Even later, in A.D. 1000, the church would make November 2 All Souls' Day, a day to honor the dead. It was celebrated similarly to Samhain, with big bonfires, parades, and dressing up in costumes as saints, angels, and devils. Together, the three celebrations, the eve of All Saints', All Saints', and All Souls', were called Hallowmas.
Halloween's origins date back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain (pronounced sow-in).
The Celts, who lived 2,000 years ago in the area that is now Ireland, the United Kingdom, and northern France, celebrated their new year on November 1. This day marked the end of summer and the harvest and the beginning of the dark, cold winter, a time of year that was often associated with human death. Celts believed that on the night before the new year, the boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead became blurred. On the night of October 31, they celebrated Samhain, when it was believed that the ghosts of the dead returned to earth. In addition to causing trouble and damaging crops, Celts thought that the presence of the otherworldly spirits made it easier for the Druids, or Celtic priests, to make predictions about the future. For a people entirely dependent on the volatile natural world, these prophecies were an important source of comfort and direction during the long, dark winter.
To commemorate the event, Druids built huge sacred bonfires, where the people gathered to burn crops and animals as sacrifices to the Celtic deities.
During the celebration, the Celts wore costumes, typically consisting of animal heads and skins, and attempted to tell each other's fortunes. When the celebration was over, they re-lit their hearth fires, which they had extinguished earlier that evening, from the sacred bonfire to help protect them during the coming winter.
By A.D. 43, Romans had conquered the majority of Celtic territory. In the course of the four hundred years that they ruled the Celtic lands, two festivals of Roman origin were combined with the traditional Celtic celebration of Samhain.
The History of Halloween.
The first was Feralia, a day in late October when the Romans traditionally commemorated the passing of the dead. The second was a day to honor Pomona, the Roman goddess of fruit and trees. The symbol of Pomona is the apple and the incorporation of this celebration into Samhain probably explains the tradition of "bobbing" for apples that is practiced today on Halloween.
By the 800s, the influence of Christianity had spread into Celtic lands. In the seventh century, Pope Boniface IV designated November 1 All Saints' Day, a time to honor saints and martyrs. It is widely believed today that the pope was attempting to replace the Celtic festival of the dead with a related, but church-sanctioned holiday. The celebration was also called All-hallows or All-hallowmas (from Middle English Alholowmesse meaning All Saints' Day) and the night before it, the night of Samhain, began to be called All-hallows Eve and, eventually, Halloween. Even later, in A.D. 1000, the church would make November 2 All Souls' Day, a day to honor the dead. It was celebrated similarly to Samhain, with big bonfires, parades, and dressing up in costumes as saints, angels, and devils. Together, the three celebrations, the eve of All Saints', All Saints', and All Souls', were called Hallowmas.
ZOMBIE EXPLANATIONS
Thanks again to www.zombiesarecoming.com
Over the years I have seen and heard many questions regarding zombies. Some quite intelligent and thought provoking others, less so. However, there are several questions that have been raised that I have answered time and time again. So, to stave off the inevitable homicidal rampage a few more hours here are the answers to the questions that have been put to me must often. Now, shut up already!
What is a zombie?
Okay, here is without a doubt the most common question. Firstly, what a zombie is not. A zombie is not your stoner neighbor. Though they may have the shambling, slack jawed, clueless look about them they are not the living dead, just the lifeless husk of the living. What a zombie is, by definition, is the living dead or undead. They have been brought to life or unlife by a virus that animates the dead bodies of those infected while live. You cannot turn a corpse into a zombie.
Do zombies eat brains?
No, they do not. This is a pop culture misconception from the movies. Zombies don’t eat flesh either, not in the traditional sense of the words at least. They may consume flesh but they receive no nutritional value from it. They seek out and consume flesh only to try to infect the living and to add to their own numbers.
What kind of zombies are you talking about?
For all intensive purposes on ZAC when we talk about zombies we are referring to the Max Brooks model from his book The Zombie Survival Guide, not the zombies from Night of The Life Dead, Resident Evil or 28 Days Later. Otherwise, by Max Brooks zombies we mean that the zombies are not intelligent, they cannot move quickly, they seek to infect you with their bite or through other fluid transfers. And, no do not go there you sick necrophiliacs!
How do you kill a zombie?
Generally speaking, to kill a zombie you have to destroy the brain. This can be done a number of ways, but the most common ways are to crush the skull with a bludgeon of some sort or to place a well aimed shot between the eyes. Once you manage to kill the zombie it is also recommended that you burn the corpse to completely destroy any chance of infection.
Do zombies have super strength?
No, a zombie is no stringer than the person who existed before they succumbed to the virus. The only difference is since a zombie lacks any inhibitors to stop it from over exerting itself then can but every once of strength into their grip. On a plus note, since the zombie is slowly decaying their strength will slowly decline and wane.
Are zombies smarter since they eat brains?
I have actually been asked this question, the thought being that since zombies consume other people’s gray matter they must be adding to their own. No, zombies are not smart, they are little more than a plague of retards since they are using only the most basic functions of the mind to act and exist.
Do you suffer from insanity or delusions?
No, I happen to enjoy both my insanity and delusions quite a lot. Thank you for asking, though.
Author: Kain - ZAC Weapon Consultant
Submitted: 14 Sep 2009
Over the years I have seen and heard many questions regarding zombies. Some quite intelligent and thought provoking others, less so. However, there are several questions that have been raised that I have answered time and time again. So, to stave off the inevitable homicidal rampage a few more hours here are the answers to the questions that have been put to me must often. Now, shut up already!
What is a zombie?
Okay, here is without a doubt the most common question. Firstly, what a zombie is not. A zombie is not your stoner neighbor. Though they may have the shambling, slack jawed, clueless look about them they are not the living dead, just the lifeless husk of the living. What a zombie is, by definition, is the living dead or undead. They have been brought to life or unlife by a virus that animates the dead bodies of those infected while live. You cannot turn a corpse into a zombie.
Do zombies eat brains?
No, they do not. This is a pop culture misconception from the movies. Zombies don’t eat flesh either, not in the traditional sense of the words at least. They may consume flesh but they receive no nutritional value from it. They seek out and consume flesh only to try to infect the living and to add to their own numbers.
What kind of zombies are you talking about?
For all intensive purposes on ZAC when we talk about zombies we are referring to the Max Brooks model from his book The Zombie Survival Guide, not the zombies from Night of The Life Dead, Resident Evil or 28 Days Later. Otherwise, by Max Brooks zombies we mean that the zombies are not intelligent, they cannot move quickly, they seek to infect you with their bite or through other fluid transfers. And, no do not go there you sick necrophiliacs!
How do you kill a zombie?
Generally speaking, to kill a zombie you have to destroy the brain. This can be done a number of ways, but the most common ways are to crush the skull with a bludgeon of some sort or to place a well aimed shot between the eyes. Once you manage to kill the zombie it is also recommended that you burn the corpse to completely destroy any chance of infection.
Do zombies have super strength?
No, a zombie is no stringer than the person who existed before they succumbed to the virus. The only difference is since a zombie lacks any inhibitors to stop it from over exerting itself then can but every once of strength into their grip. On a plus note, since the zombie is slowly decaying their strength will slowly decline and wane.
Are zombies smarter since they eat brains?
I have actually been asked this question, the thought being that since zombies consume other people’s gray matter they must be adding to their own. No, zombies are not smart, they are little more than a plague of retards since they are using only the most basic functions of the mind to act and exist.
Do you suffer from insanity or delusions?
No, I happen to enjoy both my insanity and delusions quite a lot. Thank you for asking, though.
Author: Kain - ZAC Weapon Consultant
Submitted: 14 Sep 2009
WAYS TO PREVENT INFECTION
Big thanks to www.zombiesarecoming.com
Every day you will be exposed to potential infection due to the very nature of the enemy you will be fighting. Infection can come from a scratch, bite, or exposure to bodily fluids of the infected enemy.
Gear to prevent infection:
* Bloodborne pathogen prevention: A simple bandana over you face and safety glasses arent going to protect you from “splatter” infections. When fighting in close quarters or simply slipping in a pool of blood, you run a high risk of infection. For protection of your facial mucous membranes, (Eyes, ears, and nose) you need something capable of forming an airtight seal. Gas masks, fireman’s mask, and things of that nature are best, but if you cant get your hands on those, a ventilator mask and goggles would be suitable. A motorcycle helmet would work as long as it has a full face shield. If your face were covered in gore, the vents in front could become saturated with infected and it fluids could drip inside the helmet or become an aerosol inhalant to to the air being forced through the vents. Sweat could become mixed with infected fluids, and run down into your eyes or mouth, what is why things with airtight seals are best. That is also why just a bandana and glasses are a terrible idea. Your mouth is almost in direct contact with the bandana, and the fluid can seep through coming into contact with your mouth, causing infection.
* Clothing: Anything that provides a suitable barrier to bites, scratches, and other ways infection could be transmitted. Military or tactical clothing is probably best due to the fact that it is by nature designed to resist failure from rugged use in battle conditions. A BDU top will resist snags and penetration from large briars, so it could keep you from being scratched, and possibly provide you with enough protection to keep your skin from being punctured by a zombie bite, although there probably will be a good deal of bruising. The same can be said for any other military/rugged use clothing. Thick denim, or even leather jackets or pants are also better protection than you think. In cold weather, layers can mean the difference between life and death. Not only from the elements, but from the zombie menace as well. Gloves should also be worn, as your hands will most often be the tools you use for your survival. A small nick, bite, or cut on an unprocected hand could cause you to become infected. Leather or military/tactical gloves will provide better protection than cotton garden gloves. It may also be a good idea to wear latex gloves under any other gloves. You may have to carry a wounded friend, move carcasses for burning, or other chores that would require your hands to be exposed to possible infection. Microscopic cracks in the skin on your hands are very common and are viable avenues of infection.
Exposure prevention procedures:
Everyone should be checked when returning from outside of your base. Check for bites or wounds that could possibly cause infection. Men and women BOTH should be stripped to their underwear for examination upon arrival, and their clothes and gear taken to be immediately sanitized. Everyone returning will bathe in an anti-viral/anti-bacterial rinse, and should be taken to a debreifing session.
Quarantine:
Anyone with bites or suspicious wounds will be quarantined in their own cell for as long as needed to determing if they are infected or not. (As we don’t know the time it will take for a person to turn from infection. Many factors could influence this: a person’s natural immunity, weight, metabolism, ect.) Quarantined individuals will be debriefed as soon as possible. Visitation with the quarantined will be allowed, but in a “Prison style” visitation area where the quarantined cannot have physical contact with the visitors.
Author: Angryvikingman
Submitted: 26 Sep 2009
Every day you will be exposed to potential infection due to the very nature of the enemy you will be fighting. Infection can come from a scratch, bite, or exposure to bodily fluids of the infected enemy.
Gear to prevent infection:
* Bloodborne pathogen prevention: A simple bandana over you face and safety glasses arent going to protect you from “splatter” infections. When fighting in close quarters or simply slipping in a pool of blood, you run a high risk of infection. For protection of your facial mucous membranes, (Eyes, ears, and nose) you need something capable of forming an airtight seal. Gas masks, fireman’s mask, and things of that nature are best, but if you cant get your hands on those, a ventilator mask and goggles would be suitable. A motorcycle helmet would work as long as it has a full face shield. If your face were covered in gore, the vents in front could become saturated with infected and it fluids could drip inside the helmet or become an aerosol inhalant to to the air being forced through the vents. Sweat could become mixed with infected fluids, and run down into your eyes or mouth, what is why things with airtight seals are best. That is also why just a bandana and glasses are a terrible idea. Your mouth is almost in direct contact with the bandana, and the fluid can seep through coming into contact with your mouth, causing infection.
* Clothing: Anything that provides a suitable barrier to bites, scratches, and other ways infection could be transmitted. Military or tactical clothing is probably best due to the fact that it is by nature designed to resist failure from rugged use in battle conditions. A BDU top will resist snags and penetration from large briars, so it could keep you from being scratched, and possibly provide you with enough protection to keep your skin from being punctured by a zombie bite, although there probably will be a good deal of bruising. The same can be said for any other military/rugged use clothing. Thick denim, or even leather jackets or pants are also better protection than you think. In cold weather, layers can mean the difference between life and death. Not only from the elements, but from the zombie menace as well. Gloves should also be worn, as your hands will most often be the tools you use for your survival. A small nick, bite, or cut on an unprocected hand could cause you to become infected. Leather or military/tactical gloves will provide better protection than cotton garden gloves. It may also be a good idea to wear latex gloves under any other gloves. You may have to carry a wounded friend, move carcasses for burning, or other chores that would require your hands to be exposed to possible infection. Microscopic cracks in the skin on your hands are very common and are viable avenues of infection.
Exposure prevention procedures:
Everyone should be checked when returning from outside of your base. Check for bites or wounds that could possibly cause infection. Men and women BOTH should be stripped to their underwear for examination upon arrival, and their clothes and gear taken to be immediately sanitized. Everyone returning will bathe in an anti-viral/anti-bacterial rinse, and should be taken to a debreifing session.
Quarantine:
Anyone with bites or suspicious wounds will be quarantined in their own cell for as long as needed to determing if they are infected or not. (As we don’t know the time it will take for a person to turn from infection. Many factors could influence this: a person’s natural immunity, weight, metabolism, ect.) Quarantined individuals will be debriefed as soon as possible. Visitation with the quarantined will be allowed, but in a “Prison style” visitation area where the quarantined cannot have physical contact with the visitors.
Author: Angryvikingman
Submitted: 26 Sep 2009
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Mathematical Model for Surviving a Zombie Attack
Mathematical Model for Surviving a Zombie Attack
* By Betsy Mason Email Author
* August 14, 2009 |
* 3:34 pm |
* Categories: Brains and Behavior, Health, Medicine, Miscellaneous
*
It is possible to successfully fend off a zombie attack, according to Canadian mathematicians. The key is to “hit hard and hit often.”
Oh yes, somebody actually did a study on mathematics of a hypothetical zombie attack, and published it in a book on infectious disease. So, while we still don’t know what to do if a deadly asteroid takes aim at Earth, an unlikely but technically possible situation, we now know what to do in case of a zombie attack.
“An outbreak of zombies is likely to be disastrous, unless extremely aggressive tactics are employed against the undead,” the authors wrote. “It is imperative that zombies are dealt with quickly, or else we are all in a great deal of trouble.”
Having spent a fair amount of time mixing science with beer in the wee hours while trying to finish a thesis, I’m guessing that at some point, a graduate student who had spent far too many hours tweaking a mathematical model of infectious disease in the basement of a Canadian university said something like this: “What would happen if we made it so they could come back to life?”
This was followed by the other math students in the basement gathering around the computer, happily creating a plausible model for the outbreak of infectious zombie disease, and then brainstorming on how to make their model relevant.
“Clearly, this is an unlikely scenario if taken literally,” they wrote. “But possible real-life applications may include allegiance to political parties, or diseases with a dormant infection.”
Right.
Anyway, the model focuses on modern zombies, which are “very different from the voodoo and the folklore zombies.” It takes into account the possibility of quarantine (could lead to eradication, but unlikely to happen) and treatment (some humans survive, but they still must coexist with zombies), but shows that there is only one strategy likely to succeed: “impulsive eradication.”
“Only sufficiently frequent attacks, with increasing force, will result in eradication, assuming the available resources can be mustered in time,” they concluded.
And if we don’t act fast enough?
“If the timescale of the outbreak increases, then the result is the doomsday scenario: an outbreak of zombies will result in the collapse of civilization, with every human infected, or dead,” they wrote. “This is because human births and deaths will provide the undead with a limitless supply of new bodies to infect, resurrect and convert.”
picture-9How fast do we need to deal with the outbreak? Here’s the equation they used, where S = susceptibles, Z = zombies and R = removed. If an infection breaks out in a city of 500,000 people, the zombies will outnumber the susceptibles in about three days.
The real lesson to be learned here? Maybe being a mathematician wouldn’t be so bad, after all.
UPDATE: One of the authors wrote in to clarify that though most of the authors are students as I had guessed, he is a professor in the Department of Mathematics and Faculty of Medicine at the University of Ottawa. And he spells his name Robert J. Smith? with the question mark on the end, as reflected in the corrected citation below.
Citation: “When Zombies Attack!: Mathematical Modelling of an Outbreak of Zombie Infection,” [pdf] by Philip Munz, Ioan Hudea, Joe Imad and Robert J, Smith?. In “Infectious Disease Modelling Research Progress,” eds. J.M. Tchuenche and C. Chiyaka, Nova Science Publishers, Inc. pp. 133-150, 2009.
* By Betsy Mason Email Author
* August 14, 2009 |
* 3:34 pm |
* Categories: Brains and Behavior, Health, Medicine, Miscellaneous
*
It is possible to successfully fend off a zombie attack, according to Canadian mathematicians. The key is to “hit hard and hit often.”
Oh yes, somebody actually did a study on mathematics of a hypothetical zombie attack, and published it in a book on infectious disease. So, while we still don’t know what to do if a deadly asteroid takes aim at Earth, an unlikely but technically possible situation, we now know what to do in case of a zombie attack.
“An outbreak of zombies is likely to be disastrous, unless extremely aggressive tactics are employed against the undead,” the authors wrote. “It is imperative that zombies are dealt with quickly, or else we are all in a great deal of trouble.”
Having spent a fair amount of time mixing science with beer in the wee hours while trying to finish a thesis, I’m guessing that at some point, a graduate student who had spent far too many hours tweaking a mathematical model of infectious disease in the basement of a Canadian university said something like this: “What would happen if we made it so they could come back to life?”
This was followed by the other math students in the basement gathering around the computer, happily creating a plausible model for the outbreak of infectious zombie disease, and then brainstorming on how to make their model relevant.
“Clearly, this is an unlikely scenario if taken literally,” they wrote. “But possible real-life applications may include allegiance to political parties, or diseases with a dormant infection.”
Right.
Anyway, the model focuses on modern zombies, which are “very different from the voodoo and the folklore zombies.” It takes into account the possibility of quarantine (could lead to eradication, but unlikely to happen) and treatment (some humans survive, but they still must coexist with zombies), but shows that there is only one strategy likely to succeed: “impulsive eradication.”
“Only sufficiently frequent attacks, with increasing force, will result in eradication, assuming the available resources can be mustered in time,” they concluded.
And if we don’t act fast enough?
“If the timescale of the outbreak increases, then the result is the doomsday scenario: an outbreak of zombies will result in the collapse of civilization, with every human infected, or dead,” they wrote. “This is because human births and deaths will provide the undead with a limitless supply of new bodies to infect, resurrect and convert.”
picture-9How fast do we need to deal with the outbreak? Here’s the equation they used, where S = susceptibles, Z = zombies and R = removed. If an infection breaks out in a city of 500,000 people, the zombies will outnumber the susceptibles in about three days.
The real lesson to be learned here? Maybe being a mathematician wouldn’t be so bad, after all.
UPDATE: One of the authors wrote in to clarify that though most of the authors are students as I had guessed, he is a professor in the Department of Mathematics and Faculty of Medicine at the University of Ottawa. And he spells his name Robert J. Smith? with the question mark on the end, as reflected in the corrected citation below.
Citation: “When Zombies Attack!: Mathematical Modelling of an Outbreak of Zombie Infection,” [pdf] by Philip Munz, Ioan Hudea, Joe Imad and Robert J, Smith?. In “Infectious Disease Modelling Research Progress,” eds. J.M. Tchuenche and C. Chiyaka, Nova Science Publishers, Inc. pp. 133-150, 2009.
If Zombie's Could Read
Dear Zombies,
I want to first of all thank you for taking me from my slumber world that we know today and for creating of world of havoc and hell.
You started out as a little virus and have now grown into a monstrous vengeance from hell.
So many people in the world did not take it lightly that this would happen but we "crazies" tried to warn the world that this would end up being the situation.
As we try to figure out a way to protect ourselves and our families you run through town to town as if you were on a mission from hell itself.
Understand this....You will be defeated, you will know wrath and pain again. People like me will not stop until each of you are released from the burden that has been put upon you.
The Night of the Living Dead will be no more. Your destruction and turmoil will be a thing of the past.
The members of the revolution that stood their ground and believed this apocalypse would happen have stood their ground. They have prepared, trained and educated as many as we possibly could. Now it is up to us to protect the rest of the world? Fuck That! This is not a battle but a war! A war against an enemy with no thoughts and only one mission to eat us all! Great odds, huh?
Building our fortress, stockpiling supplies, ammo and guns, machetes, etc, this is what we do.
So when you come around as the old Johnny Cash song says, we *the revolution* will be ready for your undead asses and we will show you that this war is real and that the living can show you undead bastards a thing or two about the will of living.
So as you lay there with your brain that you crave so much laying next to you, remember that the zombie killah warned you through a letter you would never read.
The zombie Killah
I want to first of all thank you for taking me from my slumber world that we know today and for creating of world of havoc and hell.
You started out as a little virus and have now grown into a monstrous vengeance from hell.
So many people in the world did not take it lightly that this would happen but we "crazies" tried to warn the world that this would end up being the situation.
As we try to figure out a way to protect ourselves and our families you run through town to town as if you were on a mission from hell itself.
Understand this....You will be defeated, you will know wrath and pain again. People like me will not stop until each of you are released from the burden that has been put upon you.
The Night of the Living Dead will be no more. Your destruction and turmoil will be a thing of the past.
The members of the revolution that stood their ground and believed this apocalypse would happen have stood their ground. They have prepared, trained and educated as many as we possibly could. Now it is up to us to protect the rest of the world? Fuck That! This is not a battle but a war! A war against an enemy with no thoughts and only one mission to eat us all! Great odds, huh?
Building our fortress, stockpiling supplies, ammo and guns, machetes, etc, this is what we do.
So when you come around as the old Johnny Cash song says, we *the revolution* will be ready for your undead asses and we will show you that this war is real and that the living can show you undead bastards a thing or two about the will of living.
So as you lay there with your brain that you crave so much laying next to you, remember that the zombie killah warned you through a letter you would never read.
The zombie Killah
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Science ponders Zombie Attack
Science ponders 'zombie attack'
By Pallab Ghosh
Science correspondent, BBC News
Zombie from I Spit on Your Rave (PA)
There has been a revival of the zombie film in recent years
If zombies actually existed, an attack by them would lead to the collapse of civilisation unless dealt with quickly and aggressively.
That is the conclusion of a mathematical exercise carried out by researchers in Canada.
They say only frequent counter-attacks with increasing force would eradicate the fictional creatures.
The scientific paper is published in a book - Infectious Diseases Modelling Research Progress.
In books, films, video games and folklore, zombies are undead creatures, able to turn the living into other zombies with a bite.
But there is a serious side to the work.
In some respects, a zombie "plague" resembles a lethal, rapidly spreading infection. The researchers say the exercise could help scientists model the spread of unfamiliar diseases through human populations.
My understanding of zombie biology is that if you manage to decapitate a zombie then it's dead forever
Professor Neil Ferguson
In their study, the researchers from the University of Ottawa and Carleton University (also in Ottawa) posed a question: If there was to be a battle between zombies and the living, who would win?
Professor Robert Smith? (the question mark is part of his surname and not a typographical mistake) and colleagues wrote: "We model a zombie attack using biological assumptions based on popular zombie movies.
"We introduce a basic model for zombie infection and illustrate the outcome with numerical solutions."
FROM THE TODAY PROGRAMME
More from Today programme
To give the living a fighting chance, the researchers chose "classic" slow-moving zombies as our opponents rather than the nimble, intelligent creatures portrayed in some recent films.
"While we are trying to be as broad as possible in modelling zombies - especially as there are many variables - we have decided not to consider these individuals," the researchers said.
Back for good?
Even so, their analysis revealed that a strategy of capturing or curing the zombies would only put off the inevitable.
In their scientific paper, the authors conclude that humanity's only hope is to "hit them [the undead] hard and hit them often".
They added: "It's imperative that zombies are dealt with quickly or else... we are all in a great deal of trouble."
According to the researchers, the key difference between the zombies and the spread of real infections is that "zombies can come back to life".
Professor Neil Ferguson, who is one of the UK government's chief advisers on controlling the spread of swine flu, said the study did have parallels with some infectious diseases.
"None of them actually cause large-scale death or disease, but certainly there are some fungal infections which are difficult to eradicate," said Professor Ferguson, from Imperial College London.
"There are some viral infections - simple diseases like chicken pox have survived in very small communities. If you get it when you are very young, the virus stays with you and can re-occur as shingles, triggering a new chicken pox epidemic."
Professor Smith? told BBC News: "When you try to model an unfamiliar disease, you try to find out what's happening, try to approximate it. You then refine it, go back and try again."
"We refined the model again and again to say... here's how you would tackle an unfamiliar disease."
Professor Ferguson went on to joke: "The paper considers something that many of us have worried about - particularly in our younger days - of what would be a feasible way of tackling an outbreak of a rapidly spreading zombie infection.
"My understanding of zombie biology is that if you manage to decapitate a zombie then it's dead forever. So perhaps they are being a little over-pessimistic when they conclude that zombies might take over a city in three or four days."
By Pallab Ghosh
Science correspondent, BBC News
Zombie from I Spit on Your Rave (PA)
There has been a revival of the zombie film in recent years
If zombies actually existed, an attack by them would lead to the collapse of civilisation unless dealt with quickly and aggressively.
That is the conclusion of a mathematical exercise carried out by researchers in Canada.
They say only frequent counter-attacks with increasing force would eradicate the fictional creatures.
The scientific paper is published in a book - Infectious Diseases Modelling Research Progress.
In books, films, video games and folklore, zombies are undead creatures, able to turn the living into other zombies with a bite.
But there is a serious side to the work.
In some respects, a zombie "plague" resembles a lethal, rapidly spreading infection. The researchers say the exercise could help scientists model the spread of unfamiliar diseases through human populations.
My understanding of zombie biology is that if you manage to decapitate a zombie then it's dead forever
Professor Neil Ferguson
In their study, the researchers from the University of Ottawa and Carleton University (also in Ottawa) posed a question: If there was to be a battle between zombies and the living, who would win?
Professor Robert Smith? (the question mark is part of his surname and not a typographical mistake) and colleagues wrote: "We model a zombie attack using biological assumptions based on popular zombie movies.
"We introduce a basic model for zombie infection and illustrate the outcome with numerical solutions."
FROM THE TODAY PROGRAMME
More from Today programme
To give the living a fighting chance, the researchers chose "classic" slow-moving zombies as our opponents rather than the nimble, intelligent creatures portrayed in some recent films.
"While we are trying to be as broad as possible in modelling zombies - especially as there are many variables - we have decided not to consider these individuals," the researchers said.
Back for good?
Even so, their analysis revealed that a strategy of capturing or curing the zombies would only put off the inevitable.
In their scientific paper, the authors conclude that humanity's only hope is to "hit them [the undead] hard and hit them often".
They added: "It's imperative that zombies are dealt with quickly or else... we are all in a great deal of trouble."
According to the researchers, the key difference between the zombies and the spread of real infections is that "zombies can come back to life".
Professor Neil Ferguson, who is one of the UK government's chief advisers on controlling the spread of swine flu, said the study did have parallels with some infectious diseases.
"None of them actually cause large-scale death or disease, but certainly there are some fungal infections which are difficult to eradicate," said Professor Ferguson, from Imperial College London.
"There are some viral infections - simple diseases like chicken pox have survived in very small communities. If you get it when you are very young, the virus stays with you and can re-occur as shingles, triggering a new chicken pox epidemic."
Professor Smith? told BBC News: "When you try to model an unfamiliar disease, you try to find out what's happening, try to approximate it. You then refine it, go back and try again."
"We refined the model again and again to say... here's how you would tackle an unfamiliar disease."
Professor Ferguson went on to joke: "The paper considers something that many of us have worried about - particularly in our younger days - of what would be a feasible way of tackling an outbreak of a rapidly spreading zombie infection.
"My understanding of zombie biology is that if you manage to decapitate a zombie then it's dead forever. So perhaps they are being a little over-pessimistic when they conclude that zombies might take over a city in three or four days."
College Removes Zombie Plan from Site
No joke: College removes zombie plan from site
All set for hurricanes? Check. Pandemics? Check. Living dead? Check.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. - The University of Florida's response plans for a zombie apocalypse are no longer available for public consumption.
University spokesman Steve Orlando said Friday the university removed a link to a disaster recovery exercise, which detailed how the school could respond to an outbreak of the undead. The link was taken down late Thursday afternoon.
Orlando says officials felt the joke "didn't really belong" on the site, which also included plans for dealing with hurricanes and pandemics.
The exercise lays out the university's response to attacks by "flesh-eating, apparently life impaired individuals." It notes that a zombie outbreak might include "documentation of lots of strange moaning."
Orlando says the employee who wrote the gag wasn't punished, saying that it was written by an employee to "add a little bit of levity" to disaster preparation discussions.
All set for hurricanes? Check. Pandemics? Check. Living dead? Check.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. - The University of Florida's response plans for a zombie apocalypse are no longer available for public consumption.
University spokesman Steve Orlando said Friday the university removed a link to a disaster recovery exercise, which detailed how the school could respond to an outbreak of the undead. The link was taken down late Thursday afternoon.
Orlando says officials felt the joke "didn't really belong" on the site, which also included plans for dealing with hurricanes and pandemics.
The exercise lays out the university's response to attacks by "flesh-eating, apparently life impaired individuals." It notes that a zombie outbreak might include "documentation of lots of strange moaning."
Orlando says the employee who wrote the gag wasn't punished, saying that it was written by an employee to "add a little bit of levity" to disaster preparation discussions.
Monday, October 19, 2009
Swine Flu Really ZOMBIE PANDEMIC?
David Emery's Urban Legends Blog
By David Emery, About.com Guide to Urban Legends since 1997
Swine Flu + Zombies = Global Ghoul Pandemic!!!
Monday May 4, 2009
Screenshot of bogus BBC Web pageA news story credited to the BBC reports that a new strain of the H1N1 flu virus has emerged, dubbed "H1Z1" by health authorities, or "zombie swine flu."
"After death," the article asserts, "this virus is able to restart the heart of it’s [sic] victim for up to two hours after the initial demise of the person where the individual behaves in extremely violent ways from what is believe to be a combination of brain damage and a chemical released into blood during 'resurrection.'"
Entertainment Weekly's PopWatch blog labeled the story "hilarious but totally bogus," an assessment with which I was inclined to concur until I learned that an electronic road sign was spotted over the weekend in Colchester, Vermont flashing the words, "EFF SWINE FLU. ZOMBIE INVASION!!!!! TURN BACK."
Local authorities say that warning, too, is a hoax, but how do we know they aren't just co-conspirators in a plot to zombify the entire population of the world?
By David Emery, About.com Guide to Urban Legends since 1997
Swine Flu + Zombies = Global Ghoul Pandemic!!!
Monday May 4, 2009
Screenshot of bogus BBC Web pageA news story credited to the BBC reports that a new strain of the H1N1 flu virus has emerged, dubbed "H1Z1" by health authorities, or "zombie swine flu."
"After death," the article asserts, "this virus is able to restart the heart of it’s [sic] victim for up to two hours after the initial demise of the person where the individual behaves in extremely violent ways from what is believe to be a combination of brain damage and a chemical released into blood during 'resurrection.'"
Entertainment Weekly's PopWatch blog labeled the story "hilarious but totally bogus," an assessment with which I was inclined to concur until I learned that an electronic road sign was spotted over the weekend in Colchester, Vermont flashing the words, "EFF SWINE FLU. ZOMBIE INVASION!!!!! TURN BACK."
Local authorities say that warning, too, is a hoax, but how do we know they aren't just co-conspirators in a plot to zombify the entire population of the world?
Are you prepared in case of a zombie attack?
This is the biggest question concerning any major disaster, whether it be weather, religious, war or even zombie related. Are you prepared in case a major disaster hits?
Many people believe that the zombie apocalypse will hit by a virus, some believe it will be toxic waste and some believe that it will be religious and the dead will rise from the graves.
Whatever the case may be, I think we need to be prepared when this situation comes into reality.
We must be prepared within our own dwelling, have arms ready, including food, water and everyday life essentials.
Many books including the Zombie Survival Guide, by Max Brooks, gives us a large scale plan once the attack happens.
We will not be ready just like the Swine Flu, the Ebola Virus or even the Mad Cow Disease.
I feel that we are made by the media to be puppets and to accept anything that comes our way. Basically, to lead us into thinking everything will be ok.
There are many cases where zombie attacks have already been covered up and I feel that this will continue to be the case.
Why couldn't a virus regenerate the body after death? We have cloning abilities don't we? We must never accept life in this little box that we have been brought up to know about. When these disasters begin, where will you be.
I hope you will continue to read this blog and see the warning signs.
Thanks
The Zombie Killah
Books to Buy preparing for the Zombie Apocalypse
HERE IS A LISTING OF BOOKS YOU CAN BUY AT YOUR LOCAL RETAILER OR CHECK OUT FROM THE LIBRARY. IF YOU THINK YOU DO NOT NEED TO BE PREPARED....THINK AGAIN.
THE ZOMBIE SURVIVAL GUIDE BY MAX BROOKS
WORLD WAR Z BY MAX BROOKS
THE ZOMBIE SURVIVAL GUIDE BY MAX BROOKS
WORLD WAR Z BY MAX BROOKS
JOIN THE ZOMBIE SQUAD
www.zombiehunters.org
CHECK OUT THIS SITE AND JOIN TODAY!!!
I know short blog but The Zombie Squad sets the standard for protection from the undead.
POSSIBLE ZOMBIE VIRUS?
Mystery virus kills 137 in UP, experts clueless
NEW DELHI: It's a virus that has already claimed over 100 lives but Indian and American scientists seem to have no clue about what it is. WhileSince January, the state has recorded 665 cases of Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) -- a severe neurological condition associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Around 137 people have already succumbed to the viral infection.
Lab investigations have revealed that only 34 of the cases and four of the deaths were caused by Japanese Encephalitis -- a known scourge in the state. However, scientists have no clue what caused the rest of the 133 encephalitis deaths and 631 cases.
According to officials, this mystery virus has been causing brain fever and killing people in UP since last year but no breakthrough has been made regarding the virus's identity and nature.
Experts from Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Atlanta had picked up 150 samples from UP to help identify the virus. But they too have failed to make any headway.
Speaking to TOI, director of National Institute of Virology (Gorakhpur) Dr Milind Gore said, "We are working on identifying the virus and its origin. At present we don't know what's causing these cases of AES and deaths. We suspect it could be a type of enterovirus."
Dr Gore added, "It is clear that JE alone isn't causing AES. We recently checked 450 stool swabs and found that 68% of them were positive for enteroviruses. However, we don't know exactly which one from this family of viruses is the dominant one behind the deaths. Even CDC experts haven't figured it out."
Officials said the search for the "real culprit" behind the AES cases had taken a beating in the last few months with scientists in NIV Pune drowned with H1N1 samples.
"H1N1 has proved to be a setback for the work on encephalitis in UP. Improved methods of diagnosis and new primers were to be tested against the unknown virus. But everybody at NIV Pune is busy with H1N1," an official said.
AES is characterised by inflammation of the brain, seizures and convulsions among children.
International NGO PATH's senior programme officer for JE Dr Pritu Dhalaria told TOI, "Usually, around four to five enteroviruses work in tandem, in clusters in particular areas. It is therefore difficult to identify exactly which virus is the deadly one. By this time last year, UP had recorded 435 AES cases of which only 15 were caused by JE. This year, the cases have increased, and we don't know which virus is behind it."
Non-polio enteroviruses are very common across the globe. They are second only to the common cold viruses, the rhinoviruses, as the most common viral infectious agents in humans.
Although infection often has no symptoms and goes unnoticed, these viruses are also associated with occasional outbreaks in which a larger-than-usual number of patients develop clinical disease, sometimes with fatal consequences.
Transmission of enterovirus infections is increased by poor hygiene and overcrowded living conditions. Measures that can be taken to avoid getting infected with enteroviruses include frequent hand washing.
Enteroviruses can be found in the respiratory secretions and stool of an infected person. Other persons may become infected by direct contact with secretions from an infected person or by contact with contaminated surfaces or objects.
According to some experts, UP has seen a nearly 40% increase in AES cases this year, majority of them not belonging to the enterovirus category.
Possible Zombie Attack?
April 9, 2009 6:15 PM
POLICE REPORT: Man puts the bite on roadside musician
Posted by John de Leon
-- From Times staff reporter Christine Clarridge:
Everybody's a critic.
A 59-year-old man was attacked and bitten by a stranger this week while he was strumming his guitar outside his motorhome.
According to a Seattle Police Department report, the victim was sitting outside his motorhome, which was parked in the 13700 block of Aurora Avenue North, on Monday. He said he was playing a song he had written and enjoying the weather when a stranger approached him and attacked him without provocation.
The victim grabbed the stranger and had him in a chokehold, when the suspect bit him. The assailant then left on foot.
Officers responded but were unable to locate the suspect.
The victim, when contacted later by phone, said he's pretty sure it wasn't the quality of his music that incited the attack. "No, I'm pretty good. I've been playing a long time," he said. "I think he just had something against me.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
