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Anatomy of a Zombie. |
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move this page to the "zombie education directory".
THIS IS WHAT A ZOMBIE LOOKS LIKE:
Now, you may be thinking : WTF it's a human! ,and my answer would be -Yes it is a human, but also a potential zombie.Why is that?
PART ONE- Physical
By all means a zombies physicality is nearly identical to a regular human. In the first few months the infected will look exactly like a human.That is because no major noticeable changes happen to people not taking care of themselves (Hygiene mostly, along with lacking nutrients, and not putting on sunblock.).
After that they become a half eaten corpse.
With no brain or motor skills?Read on.
PART TWO-Mental
What goes on in that little zombie head of yours.
looking for food, came upon a group of survivors cooking outside (very bad idea) getting noticed, then shot.
Looks around.Sniffs for any strong scents.Smells strong scent.Runs towards strong scent.Sees movement
Goes towards movement.Barely makes outline of food. Runs while making a noise to startle food.Food spots you.Food points strange thing at you.Flash of lite.Nothing.
PART THREE-Seeing and Hearing and Smelling (as a zombie)
Sight is poor. Try looking through a pair of reading glasses while mashing your eyes.
Heightened hearing after given time to adjust (couple years or so, it ain't quick adjusting to being blind, maybe quicker as a zombie because lack of emotion)
Strong sense of smell. same given reason as above.
PART FOUR-Motor Skills
Keep in mind that the physical ability of a zombie depends on the condition of the host before infection.
Run-How you would run with bruises on your knees and a stressed iliotibial band.
Swim-Maybe Not, Maybe so.
Climb-Very basic(stairs,or maybe a ladder at a 45 degree angle)
Jump-Maybe, but landing spot very uncertain because of lack of vision.
The Professional: (This was in a thread but I ran a little long.)
A zombie is going to have advantages and disadvantages due to their undead nature.
Zombies will demonstrate acts, of what appears to be, super human feats of strength...but this is simply their ability to function without the restraints that humans suffer from daily. Pain. Humans can exhibit super-human feats of strength when motivated but will eventually succumb to pain and fall victim to simple body mechanics. Zombies, on the other hand, are not affected by pain. However this accomplished, they may be able to perform these feats of strength simply because they cannot feel the pain that causes us humans to cease our actions. Thus they continue to pursue through all obstacles simply because they do not know to stop.
The other senses may also appear to be super human simply because they do not analyze information the way humans do. While a human will observe and study something till they are aware of what they are looking at, a zombie will see it, smell it, hear it etc, and instantly "investigate". This may come across as a zombie somehow behaving in a more intelligent manner than they really are.
Theses are the basic advantages of the zombie specimen.
The disadvantages of the zombie are as (I theorize) follows:
Motor skills are going to diminished due to decay and loss of brain function. Remember, they have to die first and the longer they are dead before they rise again, the more their brain will be damaged. On average a human suffers permanent brain every minute after the first 3-5 without oxygen. So once the host dies for the first time they are without oxygen for quite some time before the virus takes hold and resurrects the host. Thus causing massive amounts brain damage. Which accounts for most of their flaws.
Simple decay also causes the zombies to be flawed as they lose the ability to move and grasp a hold of their prey. This also causes them to be vulnerable to elements and physical damage as their flesh loses elasticity and its ability to maintain shape. Also, as decomposition a zombies senses will worsen as the given organs begin to rot away. (Depending on the climate of the environment.)
Another flaw of the zombie come from something that gives it an edge as well. Its tendency to "investigate" anything that it encounters also causes it to lose prey that is even fairly more intelligent. A simple distraction may cause the zombie to lose interest in its present target if said distraction is of greater interest. But, we have all noticed zombies tend to have ADHD and can just as quickly view you as the greater distraction as well.
I agree with what Buddah 13 is saying. I just simply wish to apply with some scientific method to the reasons. The better we understand our enemy, the less frightened we will become an the more efficently we may fight back.
Addendum July 05, 2008
I was discussing this with my brother and forget to mention something that some people may not know. There is more to shooting a zombie in the head then aim and pray.
By locating the medulla oblongata you find the weakest point in anything living or undead. Now I understand that many people here are aware of this area of the brain but I want to inform those that may not.
The medulla oblongata is the control center for many parts of the body...but more specifically to this discussion...it controls the central nervous system. By destroying this portion of the brain the victim instantly loses control of their motor functions. This is an instant kill to all living and undead creatures as the brain stem is severed.
Locating this area is very simple: On yourself start by touching your forehead and moving your hand to the back of your skull. Once you stop feeling the curvature of your skull and begint o feel the top of your neck you have found the EOP (external occipital prominence). This is the location of the medulla oblongata (or apricot as its called by snipers). This very important part of the brain can also be struck by firing bewteen the eyes of your target. This is a straight shot into the apricot.
But what if you do not have a shot from the front or from the rear of your target. No problem. If possible aim just behind the ear. This also places your bullet in the path of the apricot and an instant kill. Also, if the target has long and/or thick hair (such as myself) try to imagine where the target's ears may be if you can't see them. Then simply aim directly between them at the cranium.
Observe the area marked 2. The area just below the skull. This is where the apricot may be found.
I've seen in movies and TV zombies that half their head missing and this is why they didn't die. So long as the apricot remains intact they may still have the ability to move and attack.
With the is information I hope to have informed at least 1 person at the possibilities available when dispatching Zeds.
_________________________________________________________________________________ Now, you may be thinking : WTF it's a human! ,and my answer would be -Yes it is a human, but also a potential zombie.Why is that?
PART ONE- Physical
By all means a zombies physicality is nearly identical to a regular human. In the first few months the infected will look exactly like a human.That is because no major noticeable changes happen to people not taking care of themselves (Hygiene mostly, along with lacking nutrients, and not putting on sunblock.).
After that they become a half eaten corpse.
With no brain or motor skills?Read on.
PART TWO-Mental
What goes on in that little zombie head of yours.
looking for food, came upon a group of survivors cooking outside (very bad idea) getting noticed, then shot.
Looks around.Sniffs for any strong scents.Smells strong scent.Runs towards strong scent.Sees movement
Goes towards movement.Barely makes outline of food. Runs while making a noise to startle food.Food spots you.Food points strange thing at you.Flash of lite.Nothing.
PART THREE-Seeing and Hearing and Smelling (as a zombie)
Sight is poor. Try looking through a pair of reading glasses while mashing your eyes.
Heightened hearing after given time to adjust (couple years or so, it ain't quick adjusting to being blind, maybe quicker as a zombie because lack of emotion)
Strong sense of smell. same given reason as above.
PART FOUR-Motor Skills
Keep in mind that the physical ability of a zombie depends on the condition of the host before infection.
Run-How you would run with bruises on your knees and a stressed iliotibial band.
Swim-Maybe Not, Maybe so.
Climb-Very basic(stairs,or maybe a ladder at a 45 degree angle)
Jump-Maybe, but landing spot very uncertain because of lack of vision.
The Professional: (This was in a thread but I ran a little long.)
A zombie is going to have advantages and disadvantages due to their undead nature.
Zombies will demonstrate acts, of what appears to be, super human feats of strength...but this is simply their ability to function without the restraints that humans suffer from daily. Pain. Humans can exhibit super-human feats of strength when motivated but will eventually succumb to pain and fall victim to simple body mechanics. Zombies, on the other hand, are not affected by pain. However this accomplished, they may be able to perform these feats of strength simply because they cannot feel the pain that causes us humans to cease our actions. Thus they continue to pursue through all obstacles simply because they do not know to stop.
The other senses may also appear to be super human simply because they do not analyze information the way humans do. While a human will observe and study something till they are aware of what they are looking at, a zombie will see it, smell it, hear it etc, and instantly "investigate". This may come across as a zombie somehow behaving in a more intelligent manner than they really are.
Theses are the basic advantages of the zombie specimen.
The disadvantages of the zombie are as (I theorize) follows:
Motor skills are going to diminished due to decay and loss of brain function. Remember, they have to die first and the longer they are dead before they rise again, the more their brain will be damaged. On average a human suffers permanent brain every minute after the first 3-5 without oxygen. So once the host dies for the first time they are without oxygen for quite some time before the virus takes hold and resurrects the host. Thus causing massive amounts brain damage. Which accounts for most of their flaws.
Simple decay also causes the zombies to be flawed as they lose the ability to move and grasp a hold of their prey. This also causes them to be vulnerable to elements and physical damage as their flesh loses elasticity and its ability to maintain shape. Also, as decomposition a zombies senses will worsen as the given organs begin to rot away. (Depending on the climate of the environment.)
Another flaw of the zombie come from something that gives it an edge as well. Its tendency to "investigate" anything that it encounters also causes it to lose prey that is even fairly more intelligent. A simple distraction may cause the zombie to lose interest in its present target if said distraction is of greater interest. But, we have all noticed zombies tend to have ADHD and can just as quickly view you as the greater distraction as well.
I agree with what Buddah 13 is saying. I just simply wish to apply with some scientific method to the reasons. The better we understand our enemy, the less frightened we will become an the more efficently we may fight back.
Addendum July 05, 2008
I was discussing this with my brother and forget to mention something that some people may not know. There is more to shooting a zombie in the head then aim and pray.
By locating the medulla oblongata you find the weakest point in anything living or undead. Now I understand that many people here are aware of this area of the brain but I want to inform those that may not.
The medulla oblongata is the control center for many parts of the body...but more specifically to this discussion...it controls the central nervous system. By destroying this portion of the brain the victim instantly loses control of their motor functions. This is an instant kill to all living and undead creatures as the brain stem is severed.
Locating this area is very simple: On yourself start by touching your forehead and moving your hand to the back of your skull. Once you stop feeling the curvature of your skull and begint o feel the top of your neck you have found the EOP (external occipital prominence). This is the location of the medulla oblongata (or apricot as its called by snipers). This very important part of the brain can also be struck by firing bewteen the eyes of your target. This is a straight shot into the apricot. But what if you do not have a shot from the front or from the rear of your target. No problem. If possible aim just behind the ear. This also places your bullet in the path of the apricot and an instant kill. Also, if the target has long and/or thick hair (such as myself) try to imagine where the target's ears may be if you can't see them. Then simply aim directly between them at the cranium. Observe the area marked 2. The area just below the skull. This is where the apricot may be found.I've seen in movies and TV zombies that half their head missing and this is why they didn't die. So long as the apricot remains intact they may still have the ability to move and attack.
With the is information I hope to have informed at least 1 person at the possibilities available when dispatching Zeds.
Feel Free To Help Edit Grammar, Spelling,etc.
