Abstract
In recent years fear of the zombie apocalypse has been an increasingly important subject in public media. Cinema, television, novels, both graphic and written, as well as computer games cover this subject more and more frequently. Public awareness of zombies has reached an historic height. However, within the scientific community this topic has rarely been investigated at all. The aim of this review is to summarise present day knowledge on zombies and assess its suitability in a possible encounter.
Generally, there is not much consensus regarding the nature of the common zombie, however a few traits seem to be found throughout the literature. Most sources agree that the zombie is a degenerate form of humans, lacking any form of higher intelligence. Some sources even describe them as devoid of any form of bodily function, defining them as the living dead. This would indicate that zombies have developed a unique way to transport carbohydrates, oxygen and carbon dioxide transport. One hypothesis is, that zombies are capable of consuming their own body for energy production. This is supported by the fact, that most sources describe them as slowly degenerating. Their main diet seems to be human flesh with a special preference for brain tissue. Most sources agree that the common zombie is indeed monophagous, refusing any other food source. Having effectively no brain function the zombie’s hunting strategy is limited to cursorial hunting. However, unlike more elaborate hunters such as wolves, zombies do not seem to display any cooperative strategies, even though the presence of human prey seems to trigger clustering of zombies. Even though most sources are agree that zombies have no natural enemy they have developed a remarkable defence mechanism. They can suffer significant amounts of injury, including destruction of the heart or complete blood loss, and still be fully functional. The only commonly accepted weakness of the zombie seems to be the brain, as severe brain damage is generally described to be lethal.
Generally it is accepted that zombies reproduce via infection, mostly through bites or when zombie blood gets in touch with an open wound. All sources agree that the human epidermis cannot be penetrated by zombie blood or saliva. Zombies are always described as r-strategists, showing rapid reproduction rates and no ability to adapt to changing environments, though some sources report the ability of zombies to hibernate for months or longer if no food is available.
We conclude that the zombie is a dangerous hunter which compensates limited rational abilities with an extreme endurance and low vulnerability. Their high reproduction rates makes them an extreme danger for any human society. However, due to their limited food range and lack of adaption to changing environments it might be possible to starve them out as any kind of muscle movement requires energy in the form of carbohydrates. Given their limited cerebral capacity it should be possible to effectively avoid zombies and therefore remove their only food source. Due to their high reproduction rate the population should collapse quickly even if single human individuals cannot avoid predation.
Author: Jesko Zimmerman, zimmerjr[at]tcd.ie
Image Source: Wikimedia commons