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| Version | User | Scope of changes |
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| Jun 13 2009, 7:37 PM EDT | Survivor_Gill | 109 words added, 104 words deleted, 1 photo added, 1 photo deleted |
| May 14 2009, 11:22 PM EDT | Rhenn | 286 words added |
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THIS IS WHAT AExperiencing ZOMBIERevisions. LOOKSUnder LIKE:Construction.
Introduction To Zombie Anatomy:
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?
Morphology - How to Identify an Infected:
Sensory Perception of an Infected:
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 - MentalWhat 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 movementGoes 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 light. 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.
PARTPhysical FOURCapabilities -& Motor SkillsFunction of an Infected:
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-Zombies cannot swim, as they do not breathe, and thus have no air in their bodies, which means they don't float, that is, until they bloat from decomposition
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.
Cognition & Problem Solving of an Infected:
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 light. Nothing.
This is a link to Max Brook's Zombie survival guide. Click on know your enemy. Very helpful info here.
True, the most well known type of zombie is the undead, slow, and stupid one, But much more realistic in stature is the bio-weapon or "Rage" type. Rather than magic or extremely advanced science bringing the dead back to life, I believe zombies will originate from some type of bio-weapon attack by terrorists or rival countries. (That's right, I got my eye on you North Dakota! jk!) The features of these zombies are very different: They are fast, they scream, you get infected much more quickly (exagerated?), and they don't just bite you, they beat you to a pulp. Prepare for these if you wanna be prepared for fast and slow type.
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 efficiently 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 begin to 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 between 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 this information I hope to have informed at least 1 person at the possibilities available when dispatching Zeds.
Survivor_Gill: The following cites information from this link.
Firearm projectiles are a reliable method to penetrate the skull of an infected person. Direct physical force and the use of melee weapons require a considerable skill to safely dispatch a foe.
First, examine what is required to cause significant injury to the brain to cause death. Unlike living organisms, it is assumed that since circulation is absent, cranial hemorrhaging is not sufficient to kill, perhaps only mildly incapacitate (...ongoing...)
OriJuice:
Nice contributions by our fellow writers above, but I want to add some more things. A Z's kill point is undoubtedly some swift justice to the central nervous system via complete (or very accurate) brain destruction. But, lets face it. Some people just do not have that ability to aim, or the tools to completely sever that link.
Zombies are rotting (Theoretically) constantly. This means with each passing day their tissue becomes softer and softer, their tendons wear faster and the muscle and interior organs begin to rot at an accelerated use (Their moving, creating some form of friction and thus are probably warm enough to accelerate a decomp. process.) Give or take a week or two their body may be reduced to a useless pile of gunk, have to crawl; shift like a worm to get to you. You can probably then just kick them dead, from their state of dead. For people with limited access to weaponry, such as heavy and light ballistic weaponry, this may come in handy. As shown by the diagrams above, the nervous system works the same in the undead as they do in the living. And as thus, breaking the spine or neck will render them useless, paralyzed essentially. A Zed that can't move is second best to the Zed that is dead. And do to their accelerated decomposition it will more than likely be easier to decapitate them, or break their bones.
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Rhenn: I've been thinking if I should say this idea and my last judgement is yes. I've been thinking about the anatomy of the zombies, and here is what I've been theorizing, somehow. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- SIGHT: first one I hypothesized. If zombies only eat FRESH flesh from humans or animals, then their sight should be thermal. Why thermal? Because they detect us by heat. If they want fresh, it should be warm. If it is warm, it should be heat. If zombies had a normal eye-sight, then how can they distinguish us from the dead meat if they have no brains? (or can't think at all, or has a mind of a 2-year old).
- SMELL: they're hungry (they always are), then their smell should be extra keen. Maybe its adrenalin rush. If we're hungy, we'll eat the first food we smell good. I say their smell is more keen.
- HEARING: sensitive. As i say, they're hungry. Senses are extra keen.
- TOUCH: normal or weaker. As far as i thought, they still have normal touch, except for rotten flesh from the process of being returned from the dead........
- FEEDING: berserk. once they see food they fight for it. they are hungry, all right, wild hungry.
- PROCESS OF LIVING? simple, if they have an extra organ in their brain, then that extra organ creates what makes their senses keener, and by that it asks for more food. So it 'tells' the brain to get mroe food in exchange of living. So the extra part is located on the spot just above the place between our two eyebrows.
- SPEED: depends. some say they're slow, if they see food they go fast. it depends, really.
- BRAIN?/IQ?: pretty low in my standards.
