Will Acting Dead Allow You to Survive a Zombie Outbreak?
Photo courtesy of Joshua Buck.
Recently, a question was posed to the ZAC that we felt was worth addressing. Perhaps in jest, we were asked if “acting dead” would prove to be a useful survival tactic during an undead outbreak.There are certainly arguments for it, such as the fact that the average studies have shown how generally clumsy zombies actually are. Did the writers of Shaun of the Dead get it right? Is it possible to pretend to be dead in order to safely navigate a group of zombies? There are other factors at play which should be considered.
What Does History Say?
All outbreaks which have been officially documented generally log the same items about the ghoulish fiends. Most testify that they are uncoordinated and incapable of moving fast. In recent high profile Hollywood films such as Dawn of the Dead, zombies are depicted as being very fast and very capable of inflicting exact and precise damage. This my friends, is untrue. While they are capable of causing damage, they lack basic coordination and motor skills to allow for a fast pursuit.
So why not mimic the same motion and movement in order to blend in? For one, and perhaps the single most important reason, is that there are absolutely no documented cases of an outbreak survivor “acting dead” and making it through any amount of a zombie force. None. There is no need to take unwarranted risks during any outbreak of any level.
This is not to say that you would be able to escape a small, scattered group.As has proven in survivor statements, there are cases where people have safely navigated through a small collection of the undead and moved to a safer location.Of course this would be done not by acting dead but swiftly moving through the zombie field before they would have a chance to react to our presence.This tactic however is not recommended unless you are completely aware of the surroundings and your destination location.
What Does Science Say?
Scientists rarely go on record with regards to zombies.Those that do speak, do so off the record, but can provide valuable resources from their research.
Scientists state that all cases of the undead show that their basic motor skills are reduced to just that: very basic.Coordination, quick movement, and advanced skills are lost after death and not brought back in the undead state.While they have not had enough samples to test, scientists now believe that there is some sensory perception (not to be confused with ESP, mind you) that the undead possess which allows them to detect the living from the dead.They have crudely related this to a dog’s sense of smell. In essence, enough of the senses remain in the undead that allow them to detect the living and attack. This is also supported by documentation. There are no recorded cases of zombie-on-zombie attacks, which scientists feel supports their theory.
Summary
Friends & potential survivors, it would appear that both history and science, based on information collected to date, would not support “aciting dead” as a wise survival tactic.
Stay safe. Stay aware. Stay alive.
Comments (24)
shinola001 on 21 Nov 2007 at 11:37 am #
I’m concerned about your lack of belief in “fast movers” (28 days later). These zombies come from scientific experiment rather than from being animated dead. It’s best to be prepared for both as history doesn’t take into account new viruses or advances in necromancy.
AnsonMage on 21 Nov 2007 at 12:15 pm #
Additional reasons not to play dead:
1) Simply putting yourself in a crowd of zombies (tremble…) does not guarantee safety. For one, you’re still warm and breathing, most likely not missing any appendages, etc. Now, while zombies are not known for their deductive powers of reasoning, they are driven by one thing we’re pretty sure of: hunger. Have you ever smelled something cooking from a few blocks away and followed the smell? Just remember that you smell like barbeque to the undead.
2) Masquerading as the enemy can get you killed like the enemy. Even if you were lucky enough to blend in with the undead, how long do you think you could get away with it? How long until you got hungry, scared or tired? How long until Nature calls? How long until a group of survivors comes along and starts shooting into the crowd?
3) What you DON’T know about zombies can get you killed! Sure, most of what you find about zombies is often speculation or simply from the monstrosity that is Hollywood Zombie Lore. Because of this, there is still plenty about zombies that we don’t know or simply don’t understand. Don’t risk your life on a “maybe.”
The book World War Z covers this scenario and although it is fiction, it speculates that most people that try this either end up eaten (reports of zombies attacking other zombies) or insane and almost as bad as just being a zombie.
ZAC Admin on 21 Nov 2007 at 9:21 pm #
“I’m concerned about your lack of belief in “fast movers” (28 days later). “
While there are components of zombie related Hollywood films which are true, most are just cleverly disguised storytelling wrapped with special effects.
If there are fast moving zombies, then the argument against “acting dead” is even stronger. It is difficult enough to copy the undead’s clumbsy movement, much less try the same at a higher rate of speed.
THE WACKER on 27 Nov 2007 at 11:40 am #
In my opinion, simply acting dead won’t cut it. There are several things to consider. One being the recognition of body language. They might be able to tell if you are alive by the uncoscious movements and actions of your body. Another is the smell. There is an obvious odor that emits from these undead bodies, there is a possibility that they could recognize this as a flag signal of some sort. The zombie is theoretically caused by a virus. This virus once in the body perferably in the brain, might also send and receive messages like a radio signal. Well… okay that last one is a little unlikely,but it is still a possibility.
Regarding the idea of a “fast” zombie, I think this sort of possible, but to a limit. When a person is fist infected with the virus they still have a supply of enzymes and nutrients. At first, maybe for the fist day or two, they could have the strength and speed of a regular human. As time passes the body will slow down due to the lack of metabolism. The zombie only feeds to supply the virus, not the body. So sooner or later the stomach will gruesomely distend and explode because it can not digest. Once this happens the virus can only feed as the meat passes through the mouth and esophagus. Therefore weakening the virus.
I think if there ever was a zombie epidemic were to happen, the possibility of waiting it out is actually a good idea. Think about it, if azopmbie take over were to happen the zombies would just rot into nothingness in a matter of weeks, maybe months.
Those that disagree, please reply.I would love to hear your ideas. Maybe you are right. But until a real zombie takeover happens,( if one ever does) all we can do is argue about it.
Jordan on 27 Nov 2007 at 12:41 pm #
Suicide, the idea of acting dead is a surefire way of getting yourself killed.
The best way to be that close is to be camoflauged, there eyes are rotting out of there head, and there ears are filled with coagulated blood.
Deaf, dumb, and blind simple camo and stealth tactics would go a long way. Take care not to end up surrounded or backed into a corner or your kibble.
Jordan on 27 Nov 2007 at 12:59 pm #
Fast moving zombies? Maybe if you launch them with a catapult. When the body dies rigormortus (is that spelled right?) sets in and stiffens up all the muscles and tendons. Thats most likely the cause of their slow movement and poor balance. There not gaining enough calories from what they consume to power their body and be able to book it everywhere.
THE WACKER on 28 Nov 2007 at 1:05 pm #
Yo, Jordan. Good point. Rigormortis (spelt with an “i”),kicks in at about 45 minutes after death. The tendons get stiffer and stiffer as time progresses. But, BUT, since this is a fact, the zombie would be rendered useless within about 24 hours (unable to move). Most stories and myths say different, so I think thie virus releases a chemical into the blood and stalls the rigormortis effect. This once again points at “YES” to the “fast zombie” theory.
Jordan on 30 Nov 2007 at 6:49 pm #
Ok, paddywack. I assumed there are fast movers, and I came up with this theory.
How would they provide enough energy to operate at there aprox. 85% efficiency of speed and strength if they don’t use the flesh they consume for food? (based on most literature and movies)
Or, if they do get energy from that flesh, which I guess if the virus could keep the body from succumbing to rigor mortis it could probably digest some food, how could they get enough nutrition?
FREEZE! I know what your thinking, from eating people duh!, but if a zombie ate enough of a person to fill themselves up that body wouldn’t have very much mass left to reanimate. With the number of zombies increasing exponentially with every infected corpse, that would mean the mob would reach only a certain size before they couldn’t kill enough people to sustain themselves, thus running out of energy.
If they ran out of energy to book it everywhere and smash through barricades then they would shut down and stop functioning.
Then I reached the conclusion of : they start out as fast consuming the living quickly and effectively one not being able to finish off a person and consume too much of the body because of other people around to help. The living not realizing there mistake help spread the virus more efficiently until the amount of fast zombies reaches critical mass (much like cells when there membrane wall can not increase in size to match the ratio of inside consumption) and the hordes of dead rip apart new victims each consuming only a small fraction of the body which is then so striped of body mass and useable tissue it could not reanimate to any effectiveness over .5% (a snapping, or most of a snapping head ).
An appropriate and logical compromise if I may say so myself. Oh and Wacker I need you to be my zombie stand in for debate class on Monday.
mehrue on 02 Dec 2007 at 12:00 pm #
i’ve read an article/report about the traits of a zombie depend on the means of zombification. 2 out of the 10 possible, but very real triggers allowed the zombies the ability to move fast. virtually all other zombie forms would be limited by rigor mortis or brain decay.
avoidance, stealth, and speed are definitely the keys to surviving a mass attack.
best of luck to us all,
meh
Bramble on 02 Dec 2007 at 12:52 pm #
What about Body Snatcher alien type zombies? I believe there was a fair amount of time he was able to live among them by copying their blank expressions and actions. But then you’ve got 28 days later type zombies who know who’s not infected because they don’t smell like rage. I think this would truly depend on the type of zombie.
Stomper on 02 Dec 2007 at 2:47 pm #
Jordan, I’d like to bring this up in light of your “zombies need nutrition” theory: if zombies don’t need something like, oh, I don’t know, oxygen, why would they need something as secondary as a silly calorie? We’re not operating with a simple human being. We’re looking at an incredibly complex animal that is unlike anything else in the world.
Zombies don’t eat to survive like we do; they can’t, they don’t have a working digestive system (stomach dissolved the food, intestines suck out the nutrients, etc). You have to remember that EVERYTHING, save for the brain, in a zombie is dead. Muscle mass included. Muscle mass doesn’t need fuel if it isn’t alive, hence, a second non-necessity for food. Also, I think you are comforting yourself with this whole “the mob would only reach a certain size” silliness. There are something like 6.8 billion people on Earth. Even if the mob only got to half of that, that’s still a LOT of zombies. Plus, evidence suggests that once enough of a person has been consumed, they don’t even reanimate (this probably has something to do with necessary areas of the brain being consumed if the skull has been cracked open).
Fast zombies area a definite possibility, especially considering the virus’ ability to mutate. Even if zombies did initially eat for the sake of survival, a virus would probably evolve past that. Put two and two together: fast zombies.
Sköt on 02 Dec 2007 at 4:01 pm #
THE WACKER: After about 72 hours the body relaxes again, this time as a result of decomposition. This is known as resolution of rigor.
It seems to me like zombies less than 72 hours old would move slower due to the effects of rigor, but by the time it wears off, the body has decomposed a bit more thus making it move slower any ways.
But as I believe that the way that zombies self mobilize is from telekinetic signals from the zombies brain (Thus explaining why you must destroy the brain to stop them) I don’t think that rigor matters at all in zombie speed.
And the Zombies in the 28 days/weeks aren’t really zombies in the undead sense. Perhaps in the voodoo sense, but not undead.
THE WACKER with a vengeance on 03 Dec 2007 at 1:16 pm #
Skot (sorry, I don’t know how to make those dot things over the o),
If what you said about the rigormortis thing is true then, I just learned something new. But as you said they would still be slow (rendered to a stunning .023870009 mph.)
Cookies anyone?
Jordan on 03 Dec 2007 at 7:40 pm #
Get bent Stomper,
“We’ve established they don’t need oxygen, and that the virus runs mainly on the electrical nerve impulses still functioning after death.”-resident evil, the guide, Darwin’s loop hole.
If they don’t use the body’s muscle mass, then why does a limb removed from there body cease to function? The virus that infest the zombie would be present throughout the body in order to control it. It would surly be able to operate a severed hand.
So maybe they don’t digest the food maybe its to bring in fresh cells in order to replicate itself just like every other virus, high jacking a cell through its chemical receptors, reprogramming its DNA to start manufacturing copies of itself until it generates so much that it bursts apart. Its “completely dead body “
Would have no more living cells for the virus to use and every one of them has the single goal of reproduction, so why not?
Isn’t that what this whole site about? When was the last time you saw a god damn zombie and strolled up and asked it about its fucking anatomy, huh smart ass? When did any of this become fact, all of us are talking about “what ifs” and “buts” and “wouldn’t it be cool”. Ask any one here if there wrong, even if I don’t agree all I can do is provide my opinion and what I know to back it up.
I’m sure you’ve got something smart to say to that one Stomper, go ahead fight back I like it.
ZAC Admin on 03 Dec 2007 at 8:56 pm #
Let’s keep the dialogue clear of personal attacks. We are all here to learn more about how we can better survive a zombie attack and/or apocalypse. Needlessly fighting solves nothing.
shinola001 on 04 Dec 2007 at 1:08 pm #
The actual mechanics of zombiness are clearly up for debate. Can we know all the ins and outs to begin with regarding the chances of fast-movers vs slow-movers? That’s very difficult to say as I have yet to encounter someone on this forum that can relay their personal experience as gospel.
In my previous post I stated “It’s best to be prepared for both as history doesn’t take into account new viruses or advances in necromancy.” Our belief that the Dark Arts are static and cannot be improved is based on ignorance. What if they were Dark Sciences…much like our current approach to science always looking to improve? Who’s to say some enterprising young necromancer wouldn’t relish being the first to animate fast movers? Certainly our scientist eagerly strive to solve cancer. Could their work (or other experiment) mistakenly invoke some dangerous contagious disease resulting in zombification?
Preparedness would involve considering and preparing for ALL possibilities (fast, slow, science, supernatural). I would sure hate for people that are certain at this moment that fast movers aren’t a possibility to encounter a situation later on and say, “Damn if I’d only prepared for everything.”
We can always examine the root cause of zombification when the outbreak occurs. Example: I am Legend. The book. I hope the movie is good but that’s an aside.
The good news is that an overall strategy to preparedness can work for man-made situations (Oh…like the LA riots) or even other dimension (recently The Mist). I lived in Seattle during the WTO riots (pretty tame btw) and knew I was covered. BTW…if you watch the Mist there’s some pretty solid arguments for having shotguns in your arsenals. But’s that addressing another article on this website.
Pete on 04 Dec 2007 at 9:17 pm #
Do you think there will be a zombie outbreak?
Skeleben on 06 Dec 2007 at 11:59 pm #
While it is a valid question to ask how zombies could survive without any sort of nutrition, one first needs to ask how zombies could exist in the first place. The living body initially dies because it lacks the proper functions of its cells/tissues/organs to survive. Therefore, for zombies to exist, there must be some loophole that enables them to re-animate despite the lack of normal bodily functions. Sure you could argue that should a living human get attacked by a zombie, the virus or voodoo or whatever could be passed on and use that person up until all of their energy is gone. However, true zombie-ism involves re-animation of a dead body, not infection of a living body by some disease (ie. rage). Therefore the question of whether or not zombies will die is a moot point, because a real zombie has already overcome the need to obtain nutrients, or have a properly functioning anatomy. What Jordan has been arguing about is whether or not rage-like zombies could survive for any length of time. Of course, the answer is no, just like any person with a terminal illness will eventually succumb to the disease, a rage zombie will eventually die, but that’s because, as I’m sure many of us will agree, rage zombies aren’t actually zombies, but merely people infect by an invasive, mind-altering pathogen.
Martha Rose on 12 Dec 2007 at 2:44 pm #
Zombism is, to my mind, a medical phenomenon, not a magical one. As such, I have little truck with the “voodoo” hypothesis of zombie origins.
There is a lot that we simply do not yet understand. The mechanics of zombies, their physiology, their “lifespan” (if it can be called that) or disease transmission. We haven’t even managed to identify the infectious agent - although many call it a virus, it could well be a bacterium, fungi, prion or some as yet unknown agent.
That said, I may be able to offer up some hypotheses. Please bear in mind that these are simply my ideas and should not be confused with real, evidence-based medicine in an apocalypse scenario.
According to recent Hollywood films (obviously not to be taken too seriously) and some new footage of recent encounters, there appear to be several differences between fast moving “zombies” and their better know, slow moving counterparts. Most notably, fast zeds bleed (witness the rather impressive arterial spray seen in recent movies) and there is also some evidence to suggest that they can starve. This would seem to suggest that they retain functioning vascular and metabolic systems. In addition, it has been suggested that a “head shot” is not the only means of disposing of them - violent dismemberment also appears successful, perhaps even preferable.
Again, this evidence suggests that fast “zombies” are actually very different from the conventional zombie. I would go so far as to say that fasts are not actually “zombies” at all, consisting instead of a still living body. Although they are impervious to the pain of previous injury, they are not always able to survive it.
As such, although fast moving zeds may be considered zombies in the sense that they are ordinary human beings infected with a contagious agent which drives them to attack others, they are a very different kettle of fish to our better known, slow moving zombies. The threat is obviously still great, but acknowledging this distinction could make all the difference. For one thing, a functioning vascular system leads to a greater risk of infection, as exposure to infected zed blood is likely to be higher.
This is the cutting edge of scientific study, but it is constantly being suppressed by skeptical journals and over-cautious government funding bodies. I am a great supporter of this site, but I think that a greater emphasis may need to be placed on the evolving field of zombie research and on developing appropriate public health measures to prevent and control any outbreaks.
some guy on 20 Dec 2007 at 9:53 pm #
First things first you can not act as a zombie wana know why the term rotting flesh and a stink that the dead only posses as well you would have to act as disfigured and dieing body and how do you guess they know your there even if your not a close they still can find you in diffrent ways then just seeing you like smell or somtimes hearing organs
and Jordan to add to you “theroy” 28 days later was a movie on a completly diffrent virus people infected are still living thats why they could run……..but to the living dead they can’t run PREIOD becuse we as living humans strech outr musals but to our bodys we repair that or a we can repair our cuts wounds and other things while zombies have no working organs or defensive biological mesuares (other then there brain works) but the living dead can not repair them selves and thats why they can only limp around so pther than the mabye 2-4 hour area where they could (mabye) jog all teh living dead can do is walk as is stated “The Walking Dead”
Storme on 03 Jan 2008 at 1:39 pm #
This is pretty much all guesswork; we have no way of knowing what the zombies will be like. However, I would like to point out that living humans put out body heat, while the undead may not. If the undead did not exude body heat, it would be very easy for them to differentiate between living and dead bodies, especially in close range (i.e. a mob of zombies).
Also, I would not disband the idea that zombies would need to consume calories to “live”. The energy to move has to come from somewhere or they are breaking some very basic laws of science. This energy could admittedly be drawn from other sources (perhaps the decaying body itself), but if these zombies are seeking us out to eat us (as we all seem to agree), doesn’t it stand to reason that they have some need that compells them to do so?
As for whether dismembered body parts could still function: Seeking out life is a very high-level task, and I have difficulty believing that a virus or bacterium could work towards this task without the assistance of the body (and the brain). I believe that there is a lot of support for the idea that destroying the brain would stop the zombie.
AdReNaLiNe on 06 Jan 2008 at 11:13 am #
I believe that when the sickness is started it will be from a virus. The virus will not kill the host, only change the hosts brain functions. The zombie will need oxygen and food and they will eat whatever they can find. Since we will be the first sign of food they find they will start on us.
To think that zombies will be the reanimated dead is just Hollywood. It is not possible. The fact the a virus can be created by man that can change brain cells function is very possible.
Since the zombies are still alive and very eager to eat they will be fast. Maybe faster than most of us since they will get very fit from only eatting meat and getting all that exercise from searching for food. That is if the virus does not make them sick physically.
Bennie Escobar on 04 Aug 2008 at 6:07 pm #
… I personally wouldn’t act dead, but, if someone I hated was with me, I’d suggest it to him (yeah, I’m a mean person like that.) As for the “Fast vs. Slow” argument, it should be noted that the 28 zombies aren’t actually “zombies”, considering the fact that they’re Infected with a virus, thus they never died. They’re still alive and they don’t need a direct head shot to kill them. Since they’re still alive, they CAN Move fast because they’re constantly enraged and have the adredeline & stamina.
sofa+pizza=happy on 02 Nov 2008 at 12:21 pm #
For all you people who think shaune of the dead is seriouse. It came from my country, ENGLAND! And thats our comedy, we find zombie films funny, so quit using it as a example for real zombies. Because if you do a zombie will feast on your flesh.