Zombies
 

Yeah but it does kinda depend on how the virus is spread, like it could be bites, blood, or it just floats about in the air, and also how quickly it takes for someone to become infected, e.i: Sixty seconds, a hour, even a whole day. And what kind of Zombies? Fast and smart or stupid and slow? (hopefully stupid and slow)

It would vary, wouldn't it? Depending on what kind of people were infected.

Yeah....Though if they are fast and smart, humans would be totally screwed, as we will panic and since the Zombies are a bit like people, many humans will go a bit mad and shoot each other and such. AND how was the infection started?

Not necessarily. As long as people remain clam and form groups with the people they trust, I don't see them losing sanity because of the situation.

And the infection would most likely be unleashed by a form of biological warfare. That seems like the most logical explaination for it's spread.

The Solanum virus does not survive outside of the human body, and it has not been isolated in nature. The virus is neither waterborne or airborne; the only way to become infected is through direct fluidic contact, in which context the virus is 100% communicable, with a 100% mortality rate. Although the virus is most commonly transmitted through zombie bites, it is also possible to be infected through mucosal contact with the blood or entrails of an infected individual. It is theoretically possible to be infected through sexual contact with a zombie, but that there are as yet no records of any such incident. It can also spread through organ transplants from zombies, although infection takes longer.

Solanum travels through the bloodstream, from the initial point of entry to the brain, where it uses the cells of the frontal lobe to replicate itself (and destroys these cells in the process). During this period, all bodily functions cease; by stopping the heart, the subject is rendered "dead". The brain remains alive, but dormant, while the virus mutates its cells into a completely new organ. The most critical trait of this new organ is its independence from oxygen. By removing the need for this all-important resource, the undead brain can utilize, but is no way dependent on, the complex support mechanism of the human body. Once this mutation is complete, this new organ reanimates the body into a form that bears little resemblance (physiologically speaking) to the original corpse. Some bodily functions remain constant, others operate in a modified capacity, and the remainder shut down completely. This new organism is a zombie, a member of the living dead.

Solanum has been proven fatal to all species; however, reanimation will only occur in humans. Infected animal carcasses are safe to handle a few hours after death. Tests have also proven that infection through insect bites such as those from mosquitoes is not possible; insects are able to sense and reject the infected fluids.

Hour 1: Pain and discoloration (brown-purple) of the infected area. Immediate clotting of the wound (provided the infection came from a wound).
Hour 5: Fever (99-103° F), chills, slight dementia, vomiting, acute pains in the joints.
Hour 8: Numbing of extremities and infected area, increased fever (103-106° F), increased dementia, loss of muscular coordination.
Hour 11: Paralysis in the lower body, overall numbness, slowed heart rate.
Hour 16: Coma
Hour 20: Heart stops. Zero brain activity.
Hour 23: Reanimation.

hmm
 

In case you're interested: www.urbandead.com
Or a better, non-zombie related MMORPG: www.nexuswar.com

I think the zombies depicted in Resident Evil are much more like it. Zombies should be slow, stupid, and primitive. The zombies in 28 Days Later and Dawn of the Dead are too fast...they're more exciting but I find it harder to 'believe'.

My survival strategy would consist of finding an easily barricadable safehouse with just a small group of people...the UK is probably quite safe anyway :P

The ravenous antagonists in 28 days Later were not zombies, they're "crazies". They are infected with the synthetic pseudo-virus "Rage", developed by scientists who infected chimpanzees in an effort to find a cure for rage and anger in human beings. "To be able to cure, we must first understand". At least, that's what I gathered. They were not undead, they are susceptible to everything lethal to normal humans, only they are highly infectious and oblivious to pain. Their minds may still be intact, but they are blinding by the most pure and focused rage imaginable, yet don't seem to go for fellow crazies.

The Dawn of the Dead zombies were a new twist, begging the question "If their bodies are still intact, why shouldn't they be able to use them to their full extent?" The virus, like so many other, real infectious pathogens, change the behavior of their host to facilitate the continues spread of the disease.

hnng
 

Well for all intents and purposes the 'crazies' in 28 Days may as well have been zombies, but I see your point.

Also, they werent infected with a virus - we never find out what it is, but the scientist at the beginning who says your quote also states that the chimps "have been given an inhibitor". This suggests something that inhibits higher brain function in some way (possibly a Prion, though the effect is very fast), but we're getting off topic now.

You're quite right - many real life pathogens change behaviour, though usually this is a slowing effect e.g. anti-evasive behaviour from predators to ensure a pathogenic complex life cycle in completed. Perhaps the Rabies virus in dogs is the most similar to anything Dawn of the Deadish, though thats another barrel of fish altogether i.e. why are dogs so agressive when infected yet humans are not? Same goes for hydrophobia in humans but not dogs...hmmm :O

You've never seen a rabid human have you? But diseases have different effects on different species, since there are differences in biochemistry and physiology.

Still, the inhibitor must have been viral, since it is able to reproduce, which is evident from the way it spreads, consistent with a reproducing pathogen.

In World War Z, the disease was known as "African Rabies". I know of several diseases that change behaviour. Such as Toxoplasma Syphilis is well known for causing an increased sex-drive if not treated (and eventual death due to brain damage).

hmmski
 

The disease must not neccessaily have been a virus. A prion is a protein that binds to other proteins and changes them to itself - this is a form of reproduction.

I would advocate that the crazies in 28 days were not infected by a virus based purely on the time it took for them to become infectious and show behavioural changes (about 5-20 seconds) - but then it was a film and this is just interesting talk :P

You're quite right about Toxoplasmosis; some good studies have shown this causes increased sociality in females and decreased sociality in males (and I cant find the papers if you want some proof lol).

The Syphilis thing I'm not so sure about. I cant say I've ever come across work on increased sex-drive in humans, but some funny stuff was shown in horses. Death due to brain damage takes literally years, if not decades.

What do you mean by my never having seen a rabid human? If you are referring to rabies in humans, then they do not become rabid. Rather they become hysterical and hallucinate (which is different) - many of these hallucinations have been reported as disturbing 'demons' that worsen on sight or contact with water. Hydrophobia is actually what kills humans. Guns usually kill the dogs. Nasty stuff. But actually the transmission of rabies in dogs is done with the biting. The saliva contains new viruses, hence the increased salivation in the classic 'foaming mouth rabid dog' image most people have.

Nice to meet someone who knows something about parasitology (or even just Biology in general)...

Ahh Zombies...How I hate those b******s

Wow, lot of replies for me.
The skull is one of the hardest organic materials humans know of, if not the hardest material.

Exactly. There's no way of knowing how it could start. It's very possible to go to sleep with no zombie in sight, and wake up in a class 2 outbreak, if not a class three.


Obviously zombies are like humans in that they vary. Taller people would have bigger strides, shorter ones could get into places that have low headroom, etc. etc.

I absolutely hate it when people just go off and start saying that they're zombies, despite the fact that the word "Zombie" was never said once.

yup
 

Actually yes, you're right - they call them 'the infected' throughout the film. Excellent film though...

Indeed, can't wait for the sequel.

!!
 

A sequel?!

Ah yes, the rage filled '28 days later' crazies...Like the reavers from Serenity...Those ones were fast, smart and knew how to use fire-arms (reavers)...Hopefully if we ever get plauged(?) by Zombies/crazies they'll be stupid and slow...

What happens to a zombie if it's heart explodes?

Nothing, I suppose. It doesn't need to breath, so it doesn't need to circulate oxygen-rich blood to any parts of its body.

Zombies can only be killed by destroying the brain. You could chop off the head, but even though the body will just collapse, the head will still snap at you. You'll still have to smash it or toss it in a fire.

That's the brilliance of the Solanum virus. It makes the brain into a completely self-sustaining unit. It only needs the body for mobility and grabbing food.

Or pierce it.
If you've ever seen Goerge Romero's "Day of the Dead," there's a scene where scientist shows someone a zombie that he has taken all the organs out of, even the sensory organs. He left the brain it, and was able to feed electricity in it, and make it move it's arms and what not.

Seeing as how I've based the narrator of Zombi Siege is based upon myself, go read the story to see my view on things.

Zombi Siege can be found here:

http://www.oddworldforums.net/showthread.php?t=15262

Blatant thread hijacking. Wow.

There is quite a few zombie things; Dawn of the dead, night of the living dead, day of the dead etc...

I'm unashamedly bumping this thread because I just found a link to one of the funniest/sickest zombie comics ever:

http://www.apesandbabes.com/0_zombie_0/zk.html

Warnink: MASSIVELY UNSUITABLE FOR CHILDREN AND/OR WORK.

A day counts as bumping?

Wow you must really be used to some weird stuff if you're more concerned with my concepts of bumping threads than a zombie shagging a cow.

Hey, no. Shut up. >:P

I asked my Stepdad the same thing after seeing this topic and he said 'Well, I'd probably be a zombie too, so I wouldn't care much'.

I sort of agree with him. I'd probably be a zombie. But if I wasn't, I'd try to get away or I'd try to drive them away with loud Linkin Park (I'm not bashing Linkin Park, I like it) or I'd just let the zombies kill me. Or I'd hide for ages. I don't know.

I'd imagine death-by-zombie would be very painful...
I'd get all the survivors I can, go to the top of a building with guns and supplies, and when their sleeping, throw them off for the zombies :P