GILA MONSTERS FOR ZOMBIE SURVIVAL
LiveScience reports that a substance in the saliva of the Gila monster called exendin-4 can reduce food cravings. The naturally occurring compound makes eating sweet and fatty foods less rewarding to the brain.
Simply by ingesting exendin-4 rats lost their cravings for both food and chocolate. The new discovery may be a breakthrough in weight-loss science, as researcher Suzanne Dickson explains:
“As exendin-4 suppresses the cravings for food, it can help obese people to take control of their weight.”
Obese people often keep eating in search of the rewarding activity in the brain, leading to full blown food addiction. In a zombie pandemic, exendin-4 may also be a safe tool in fighting everyday hunger brought on by constant food shortages.
It’s not uncommon for people in impoverished areas of the world to use drugs to suppress chronic hunger. In isolated regions of Afghanistan babies are given opium to calm them when food is not available, leading to lifelong addiction problems.
If exendin-4 proves to be a safe, natural, non-habit forming way to reduce preoccupation with food when eating is not an option, it would allow survivors to more clearly focus on more pressing issues in a zombie infested world.
Maybe we can finally stop dreaming about those damned Twinkies!
WORST HOUSE FOR ZOMBIE SURVIVAL?
According to Demographia.com, Tokyo is the largest urban center in the world with upwards of 37 million residents. In a zombie outbreak a top priority should be to stay away from other people, making Tokyo a less-than-ideal location.
Compounding the problem, Tokyo architect Sou Fujimoto has designed what might be the worst house for zombie survival ever built anywhere. It’s constructed almost completely of glass, making it nearly impossible to hide from any living or undead enemies that may wander down the street.
We don’t understand the appeal of living in a fishbowl, zombies or no zombies. Even the bedrooms are walled entirely of clear glass.
SHORT ZOMBIE SATIRE: A DEAD ISSUE
Chicago based indie filmmaker Alex Reynolds produced this short video satire promoting zombie awareness in a world where the zombie apocalypse isn’t such a big deal. Will the coming zombie plague be this easy to overcome? Hopefully so, but probably not.
ELEMENTS OF ZOMBIE DECAY (Part 1)
Written by 1LT Chris Post
One of the greatest determiners in how long the coming zombie plague will last is the lifespan of zombies themselves. In theory, the length of any outbreak will depend on how long individual zombies are capable of moving about and spreading their infection to new hosts.
Because zombies occupy a limited, rotting corpse, the real question then becomes: How long will it take for the zombie to decompose?
Decomposition is a process whereby plant and animal bodies are broken down into their base materials. The length of this process is affected by several factors, including:
- Presence of insects
- Microbial activity
- Moisture levels
I’ll focus on microbes and moisture in upcoming posts, but today I want to talk about insects.
Insects, specifically carrion feeders, play a vital role in decomposition, as they consume much of the flesh and soft tissue of a corpse. In fact, it has been documented that in some parts of the world dense insect populations are capable of reducing a body to bones in a matter of hours.
Assuming a zombified corpse is essentially the same as a standard corpse, insects would feed on the zombie’s flesh and organs, speeding up decomposition and reducing its lifespan. However, a few variables might play a part in mitigating this process:
- MOVEMENT: The zombies own movement might serve to keep some insects at bay. One need only observe the common housefly to see that they will retreat from the slightest wave of a hand.
- INEDIBILITY: Whatever causes the reanimation of the zombie corpse might render it inedible to insects. Without the assistance from insects, decomposition time could be extended significantly.
- PSEUDO-LIFE: Larval parasites, such as maggots, do not eat living flesh. Maggots have historically been used to clean wounds because they only eat dead tissue, leaving the living flesh intact. If zombies have some residual life functions, such as circulation or respiration, it might be sufficient to prevent the maggots and other similar parasites from consuming their flesh.
Look for more observations about zombie decay, including a detailed breakdown of how microbes and moisture could save the human race, in parts 2 and 3 of this series.
Lieutenant Post is a squadron safety officer with the United States Air Force Auxiliary. In addition to training in emergency response and disaster preparedness, he has studied the theory and science behind the zombie of popular culture for several years.
ZOMBIE GRAPHIC NOVEL GIVEAWAY
We’re almost half way through Zombie Awareness Month. We’re doing a contest every weekday this month to mark the occasion.
Today only win the first five issues of an upcoming graphic novel called ZDC: Zombie Disease Control. Written by ZRS Head Matt Mogk and illustrated by Chad Lewis, the story follows the Zombie Research Society Advisory Board as it secretly investigates zombie outbreaks across the globe. Check out the cover art below.
To enter tell us in the comments section what unusual skill would prove useful in a zombie apocalypse and WHY. We’re looking for creative and original answers, so have fun with it. And if you want TWO MORE CHANCES to win simply like and share this contest on facebook, and then retweet and favorite on twitter.
This contest ends at 10pm pacific time today, Monday, May 14, 2012.
We’ll pick a winner and announce the next contest tomorrow morning. So check back to see if you made the cut.
Good luck
TODAY WIN A BLEEDING ZOMBIE TARGET
THIS CONTEST HAS ENDED!
The winner is:
Mitch Parker
Molly, please email us at mogk@zrs.me to collect your prize.
Thanks to everyone else who entered.
May 10, 2012 and we’re already 1/3 of the way through Zombie Awareness Month. We’re doing a contest every day this month to mark the occasion.
Today only win your very own bleeding zombie target from our friends at Zombie Industries. This target retails for $90, so it’s a heck of a prize. Check out the video below for a better look at what you get.
To enter tell us in the comments section below what your ideal zombie shelter would be. We’re looking for creative and original answers, so have fun with it. And if you want TWO MORE CHANCES to win simply like and share this contest on facebook, and then retweet and favorite on twitter.
This contest ends at 10pm pacific time today, Thursday, May 10, 2012.
We’ll pick a winner and announce the next contest tomorrow morning. So check back to see if you made the cut.
Good luck!
WIN WOODY’S ZOMBIELAND HAT!
THIS CONTEST HAS ENDED!
The winner is:
Molly Hefron
Molly, please email us at mogk@zrs.me to collect your prize.
Thanks to everyone else who entered.
Day #9 of Zombie Awareness Month, and we’re still doing a contest every day in May to mark the occasion.
Today only win an authentic replica of the hat that Woody Harrelson made famous with his role as a zombie killing badass in Zombieland. The hat is made by The Real Deal and retails for $40, but it can be yours for free. Check out pics above and below.
To win tell us in the comments section below what is your favorite line from a zombie movie OR make up a line that you think would be great and describe the scene in which it should be used. We’re looking for a great one liner, a creepy observation, or just something that captures the moment.
This contest ends at 10pm pacific time today, Wednesday, May 9, 2012.
We’ll pick a winner and announce the next contest tomorrow morning. So check back to see if you made the cut.
Good luck!
AP REPORT GETS SURVIVAL DEAD WRONG
A recent Associated Press report about a woman stranded in the wilderness with a broken leg for four days highlights a gross lack of survival knowledge, and you don’t even have to go past the article’s headline to see the glaring mistake. It reads:
“HIKER SURVIVES 4 DAYS IN UTAH DESERT WITHOUT FOOD”
Without food? Really?
We’ve got a newsflash for the AP: Anyone can go four days without food. You could do it right now, no problem. Sure you may feel the pangs of hunger and your willpower will get a nice test, but you’ll be fine.
Human beings can live three weeks or more without any food, yet the article implies the woman stayed alive because her prayers to God were answered. Again, no miracle in going four days without food.
What’s worse, the reporter doesn’t even mention a more pressing survival need: water.
Without water to drink you can die in as little as three days, especially in the drying heat of a desert. If there is any miracle in this story it’s that the woman was lucky enough to be stranded next to a flowing creek in the middle of such an arid landscape. And that’s the primary reason she’s alive.
So the next time you find yourself fleeing zombies and getting dangerously low on supplies, remember that water will always be a more vital and immediate concern than food.
If you’re well hydrated you can stay alert and healthy for many days, but if you run out of water you’ll be dead in just a few.
ZOMBIE CASE STUDY SHORT FILM
Two Aussies made this zombie short film on their iPhones, and it’s not half bad. Check it out below. What do you think?
AX HEAD ZOMBIE by Chris Bodily
If you can hit a zombie square in the head with an ax and it still keeps coming, we’ve got bigger problems than we even think! Either way, what’s not to love about this sketch by artist Chris Bodily?