Quote: zom·bie
Variant(s): also zom·bi /'zäm-bE/
Function: noun
Etymology: Louisiana Creole or Haitian Creole zõbi, of Bantu origin; akin to Kimbundu nzúmbe ghost
Usually zombi a : the supernatural power that according to voodoo belief may enter into and reanimate a dead body b : a will-less and speechless human in the West Indies capable only of automatic movement who is held to have died and been supernaturally reanimated Zombies (Or 'Zs') are reanimated bodies of the dead that through some method or another have been brought back to life. The most memorable Zs have been seen in such films as Dawn of the Dead, Shaun of the Dead, Night of the Living Dead, and Day of the Dead. Similar such creatures are also present in 28 Days Later
They are most often displayed as slow, and shambolic, with little reasoning power, but with much more resilience and strength than the living human. They are most often created by a virus, though magical versions have been seen.
As living dead, or more comicly 'living impaired', Zs are generally unaffected by the loss of limbs, blood, or internal organs. They are incapable of tradional procreation, but virus-created Zs are usually capable of creating more Zs by biting the living. Of note is that they are highly inclined to eat the flesh of the living, hence their nickname of 'Flesh-eaters'. They are often seen crowing 'Brains', but most are unable to make any coherent sounds at all.
They are particularly vulnerable in that their brain must be in communication with the rest of their bodies to be active. This means that decapitation, destroying of the brain, and severing the spinal cord, are all effective and viable methods of termination. When this is not a possibility, some victims take to removing every limb the Z possesses, in an effort to immobilise it until it can be eliminated permanently. Most, however, instead decide to run like an athlete from a starting position.
Their speed ranges from 5 ft. in 10 minutes, to 30 ft. in 6 seconds. The former are generally harmless, but their habit of gathering in large inescapable crowds makes them a serious threat. The latter are dangerous on their own, but are just as vulnerable.
Their eating patterns are theorised to be a reflection on the requirements of the entity animating them. A virus that is capable of reactivating dead bodies would be required to activate the specific nodes in the rear of the brain, and would then need to maintain a constant power supply to allow the brain and body any functional capacity at all. The stomach is often the only organ left, and when removed the Z ceases to function soon after. This means that the virus uses the flesh of the living, and later of the body itself, which contains glucose and protein to fuel the muscles and brain as well as its own continued existence. The degradation of the brain between its death and reanimation may also be the cause of the limited mental capacity often seen. Memories from previous lives may be recoverable, but the Z would be hard pressed to put them to use or act upon them.
As the virus requires living cells to propagate itself, bodies that have been deceased to such a point that the blood has completely dried up or coagulated are not viable hosts. A wound that has been sustained from a Z should be cleaned and cauterised as quickly as possible, and the victim isolated immediately to prevent danger to others around you.
Zs seem incapable of communication, but are somehow able to define another Z from a living human. This may mean an enhanced sense of smell, or that the virus is capable of preserving recognition areas in the brain. They are slow to react, and find even simple tasks difficult to accomplish. This means that they cannot climb, run (usually), or operate locks and other complex mechanisms. A large sturdy wall usually deterrs any number of them, but the use of trenchs and moats is not recommended due to their massive numbers. Effective weapons include bludgeoning devices and some piercing weapons. Applying the damage to the head of the Z is highly recommended. When confronted with large numbers, fleeing to the nearest safe building or area is also highly recommended.
Bury deep, pile on the stones
Yet I will, dig up the bones
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Did I miss anything here? Or is the semi-complete info on Zs?
Bury deep, pile on the stones
Yet I will, dig up the bones
Given the recent comments, I want to see if we can shorten this into something a little simpler, though I think as far as a comnplete answer, it's hard to argue with what Lyinginbedmon has.
I think, for a simple definition, a zombie must meet the following criteria:
A zombie is (1) any creature that is clinically dead, but; (2) is able to maintain simple motor functions in such a way that they are able to do little more than move, but; (3) they have little higher brain functions such as memory, creativity, forsight, or problem solving, and; (3) they try to cause harm by biting to living creatures with the purpose of spreading the disease or satisfying a seemingly unnessecary appetite.
All that needs to be said is this: FIRE = BAD
I have to disagree a little.
First, the virus takes ''control'' of the brain, to control the nervous system.
That's the basic. Supporting that theory is that cutting the head or destroying the brains cuts the link to the nervous systems, which ''kills'' the zombie.
However, for the brain to control the nervous system, the brain needs to be alive.
If the brain isn't alive, it cannot control the nervous system.
If someone is infected, what are the stages of transformation?
Some are:
1: Increased moments Aggressivness
2: Stops recognizing his friends/family and don't hesitate to bite
3: Bodily functions stopped? So the brain will die
If the Body basic functions stops, then the brain dies, and if the brain is dead, nothing can control the nervous system. Unless we shoot electricity directly into the body, which will make the dead body have spasms, the nevous system cannot be stimulated, MAINLY by brain functions.
The brain, to be alive, needs blood flow, oxygen, and the ''water he floats in'' must be there.
A zombie is dry.
That's why I believe Zombies can't exist. It's sad to me too. But eh, whaddya want?
----''
Their eating patterns are theorised to be a reflection on the requirements of the entity animating them. A virus that is capable of reactivating dead bodies would be required to activate the specific nodes in the rear of the brain, and would then need to maintain a constant power supply to allow the brain and body any functional capacity at all. The stomach is often the only organ left, and when removed the Z ceases to function soon after. This means that the virus uses the flesh of the living, and later of the body itself, which contains glucose and protein to fuel the muscles and brain as well as its own continued existence. The degradation of the brain between its death and reanimation may also be the cause of the limited mental capacity often seen. Memories from previous lives may be recoverable, but the Z would be hard pressed to put them to use or act upon them. ''----
Was on the message of the previous link.
Now look at this part
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A virus that is capable of reactivating dead bodies would be required to activate the specific nodes in the rear of the brain, and would then need to maintain a constant power supply to allow the brain and body any functional capacity at all. The stomach is often the only organ left, and when removed the Z ceases to function soon after. This means that the virus uses the flesh of the living, and later of the body itself, which contains glucose and protein to fuel the muscles and brain as well as its own continued existence. ''-----
True, but proteins and glucose aren't the only needed things for the brain.
It needs blood flow and oxygen.
But then he says
------''
As the virus requires living cells to propagate itself, bodies that have been deceased to such a point that the blood has completely dried up or '' --------
Indeed. That may be right. But if something is alive enough to have living cells and enough blood flow to activate the brain, cutting an arm will make it bleed to death, while he may not sense it, he WILL bleed te death, and soon lose too much blood for continuous brain functions.
----''
They are particularly vulnerable in that their brain must be in communication with the rest of their bodies to be active. ''-----
False. Beeep. The brain must be in communication with the rest of their bodies so it COMMANDS the NERVOUS SYSTEM. We cut the head so the nervous system link to the brain gets... cut, thus ending the zombiness.
We destroy the brain so the link will also be terminated.
Now, as it's written in my signature.... I am not only preparing myself for a zombie attack, but any mondial crisis as Extratterestrials, Hell coming on earth, or Doomsday, or whatever mondial crisis, thus I'm gonna stay. I want to understand more that zombie virus and how it acts, how the body can move when dead.
Wow. I get the sense that you're a fast talker. That was a little confusing to read. If I read that right I see this: "zombies don't exist because once something is dead, the brain doesn't work and so the zombie can't function." Assuming zombies exist, and there is plenty of evidence pointing to their existence, there must be a way that they function. What we are trying to do is to figure out how that works. We are preparing for the worst and trying to eliminate bad ideas and develop good ideas. For example, if a zombie must be clinically alive to survive, this makes stopping them all the easier as they will eventually run out of blood and stop functioning. If, as evidence would indicate, these things don't need a properly functioning set of organs to continue living, it is going to be harder to find the achille's heel. Thus, we are taking what we know about zombies and trying to make sense out of the horror and confusion.
All that needs to be said is this: FIRE = BAD
I am not a ''fast talker''.
I tought a long time about it. And it is NOT: zombies don't exist because once something is dead, the brain doesn't work and so the zombie can't function."
It's: A Zombie's chance of existence is VERY LOW because once something is dead, even if somehow the brain could manage to send electrical signals, it would lack oxygen and blood flow for further fonctions.
EVEN FOR BASIC NERVOUS SYSTEM CONTROL FUNCTIONS, the brain needs nourishment (from food and water) as well as oxygen, and blood flow. Assuming eating corpses gives the zombie blood flow in the brain....
YEAH YEAH THAT CAN WORK!!!! Maybe the blood from the corpses goes to the brain, as well as the nourishments.... But then Where does he get the oxygen???? Or maybe a ZOmbie can stock, or on one breath can keep some hours of oxygen.
But still, I am quite septic. But I want to understand how a Zombie bodily system works.
I wanna understand their bodies!
What I meant by fast talker was that you just say a lot, I didn't mean to imply that you didn't think things through.
To some degree, we are still not cerain how zombie's bodies work. Here's where I go back on something I said earlier -- I disagree with Lyinginbedmon's explanation in one big way: zombies, from what I understand, don't need food or oxygen. The virus does need a viable living host in order to properly develop the brain into the organ that it can use to run the body. From what I understand the virus changes not only the brain but also the body and is therefore able to use the body in a very differnt way such that the virus sacrifices the body. Does that make sense?
All that needs to be said is this: FIRE = BAD
Hmmm.... Well it's easy to assume the virus changes the brain and body's way of functioning. It's like saying extraterrestrials exist because I saw a light in the sky.
Well That could be possible tough. It would be too easy, but sometime the easy way is the real thing. Altough I don't understand how a Virus could do THAT!. The only way I see the virus to be able to reactivate the brain functions.... is that the virus is intelligent, but that's not likely... Otherwise.... What I want is understand how a virus could actually do that, change the body functions.
But I'm okay witht the fact they eat corpses/humans to get blood and glucose and other nutriments to fuel their bodies. That's one question answered, that's how they fuel.
Hmmm.... Maybe there is a connection with their need for human corpses with the virus reactivating the brain AS WELL as the fueling.... Or maybe the fueling isn't the reason they eat corpses.....
.... Well anyway throw your ideas.... By brainstorming (intelligent) ideas, we will eventually find the answer....
Let's see, the first thing that comes to mind on getting oxygen to the deceased's brain is a mold or fungi, but that eliminates most of the classification of 'virus' from the mix. However, if the 'virus' could grow some form of mold or fungi on the body, likely the brain, then it would be capable of respiration and getting oxygen to the brain, perhaps this accelerates the necrosis of the face as we see on many Zs?
Next, the obvious and simple answer: It changes the brain to be without a need for oxygen. We need to realise that oxygen is required by most cells to produce energy through respiration. If we remember that a virus takes over a cell, then we can presume that this is how it also changes the brain to be functional without oxygen. Now, most times when a virus takes over a cell it multiplies inside avoiding the immune system then bursts outward and infects more and more cells. Given that this virus is already expending considerable resources to reactivate the body for tactical usage, we can assume that this virus isn't like most viruses. This is the option I most prefer, mostly because it follows Occam's Razor, it's the simplest answer. In primordial times, before complex cell organisms developed to any substantial level, they developed a symbiotic relationship with an organism called the mitochondria, which is what requires oxygen and generates power in the cells today. If the virus used the mass of the mitochondria in the cell to produce a new virus cell (It would have to be very small for this, I hasten to add, though it could conceivably use the other now-unnecessary parts of the cell as well) then it could conceivably INSERT it, and use the glucose it acquires from the body and feeding as its fuel to produce power in the cells.
Bury deep, pile on the stones
Yet I will, dig up the bones
Your first comment might make sense. It might be more than just a virus associated with this. It could be that the virus allows other things to take root that dont affect things except when the virus is present. So this fungus or mold or bacteria may be around naturally, could even be something that we have inside of us to help us, like the bacteria in our stomach. However, when the virus enters the blood, it could help to encourage the spread of another bacteria or fungus or something that does some of the work without being the direct cause of zombieism. Something like that could be present and no one would think about the relationship because no one would think anything of it. If you find a dead body teaming with bacteria, you dont think about it thus if you see a zombie teaming with the same bacteria, it makes sense -- but it could be part of what makes a zombie function without being the cause.
All that needs to be said is this: FIRE = BAD
A zombie is purportedly a dead person whose body has been re-animated. Stories of zombies originated in the Afro-Caribbean spiritual belief system of Vodoun (Voodoo), where zombies are humans who have had their "Ti Bon Ange" (Creole from the French "petit bon ange", or "little good angel") or soul stolen by supernatural means or shamanic medicine, and who thus lack free will and are forced to work as uncomplaining slaves for a "zombie master", typically on plantations. It is widely thought that, if such "zombies" existed, they were in fact heavily drugged but still-living humans.