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Zombies....Could it really happen?

APV

Wait, Who stole me Haggis?
I recently was looking through my local paper and noticed that someone had put in a 'Freedom of Information' Request asking what my Local Authority would do in the event of a Viral/Zombie outbreak. Funnily enough they responded with a reply with was rather amusing and barely thought through.

So i ask you this....could a Zombie outbreak really occur in our modern day world and if so what would be the cause?

AP
 

bruno

Chief Researcher
It could happen, biologically. However, it wouldn't be as simple as it seems in RE. It would take at least 15 years of research and LOTS of money in order to make a virus which would make zombies (t-virus would be impossible since it has too many genes).
However, this virus will never exist, since noone is stupid enough to spend so much money to turn everyone into zombies, nor would anyone do the research for such mad people.
However, there is a fungus species which controls a certain type of ants in order to complete it's life cycle. This is a parasitic infection, in which the host dies once it completes it's purpose. They're called "zombie ants".
 

APV

Wait, Who stole me Haggis?
However, this virus will never exist, since noone is stupid enough to spend so much money to turn everyone into zombies, nor would anyone do the research for such mad people.

I agree with you Bruno but may i add a point to it, you said in the above highlighted point if you were working for a pharmaceutical company for either a substancial amount of money or even in the hope of helping speed up 'evolution' you and I may not consider it but can we really speak for the other 6 billion people on earth?

Money makes the world go round and we cant say that people wouldnt be intreged in the power of certain genes. If we look back at the story of Resident Evil or even some of the Zombie films, some of the storylines were far fetched but to be honest some of them were believeable such as 28 Days Later and Resident Evil 2.

In RE:2 the scientist that injected himself with the T:Virus (cant remember his name lol) and then killed the USS operatives. Before that he spoke of the 'Awesome power of the T:Virus' and in some of the notes you find in all of the REs people speak about harnassing the power of the virus for military and medical purposes.

I did go off topic a wee bit but can we say 'since noone is stupid enough to spend so much money to turn everyone into zombies, nor would anyone do the research for such mad people'

AP
 

Doom guy

Grade one Hunter slayer
I agree with you Bruno but may i add a point to it, you said in the above highlighted point if you were working for a pharmaceutical company for either a substancial amount of money or even in the hope of helping speed up 'evolution' you and I may not consider it but can we really speak for the other 6 billion people on earth?

Money makes the world go round and we cant say that people wouldnt be intreged in the power of certain genes. If we look back at the story of Resident Evil or even some of the Zombie films, some of the storylines were far fetched but to be honest some of them were believeable such as 28 Days Later and Resident Evil 2.

In RE:2 the scientist that injected himself with the T:Virus (cant remember his name lol) and then killed the USS operatives. Before that he spoke of the 'Awesome power of the T:Virus' and in some of the notes you find in all of the REs people speak about harnassing the power of the virus for military and medical purposes.

I did go off topic a wee bit but can we say 'since noone is stupid enough to spend so much money to turn everyone into zombies, nor would anyone do the research for such mad people'

AP

William birkin lol
 

KennedyKiller

Super Saiyan Member
Premium
I've actually had this discussion with several science teachers...All of em say it's possible, but it's more likely to be a bacteria than a virus...
 

Rain611

You can't kill me.
@Bruno-in the games, wasn't the T-Virus being developed as early as the 60s? My memory kinda sucks but I seem to recall Umbrella being founded in the 60s as a coverup for the viral research, thus putting a good 30 years into the virus project (if memory serves of course lol.)

As for the possibility of zombies, I just had this conversation with my parents lol. Cracked did make some good points, with the zombie ants being reminiscent of the Plagas from RE4. Also, I think something like 28 Days Later would probably be the most likely 'zombie outbreak' senerio, as the virus doesn't actually kill you but instead disrupts your brain chemistry to turn you into a monster....perhaps like a much more aggressive Rabies virus.

I say plausible, assuming the definition for zombie in our future apocalypse senerio is not textbook dead returning to life with the sole purpose of eating brains. I don't believe any virus or parasite or bacteria can do that, but if you're one of the people that accepts the creatures from 28 Days Later as zombies then its possible you could see your zombie outbreak lol.

My parents of course deny the possibility whole heartedly, but all they know about anything related to zombies is what the CDC put on their website. Shoulda seen my parents' shock when they saw that for the first time other day....priceless.
 

APV

Wait, Who stole me Haggis?
And it was the G-virus, not the t-virus.
lol same difference

P.S i only asked this because it was meant to get you all thinking about the possibilty and get your views and opinions on the question that is one of the most highly debated topics understood worldwide!

AP
 

Fallen One

Λεωνίδας
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/06/science/06hopp.html Also you must remember that science has reached a level in which they are manipulating strands of DNA breaking them apart ligiation as in piecing back together the DNA strand they have manipulated and setting them in a sequence they desire. Whether through Cellular Cloning, Stem cell wh9ich they are using for creating embryos for "research" to somatic cell nuclear transfer which most will know due to Dolly the sheep which they cloned and made famous. I would definetly say the ability to create virus, parasite or a "race" is possible science is starting to catch movies and pop coulture once thought as B movie science its here. If you can create seperate and manipulate strand of DNA not much you can do and this was started back in mid to late 90"s made famous in 98 lol. The first hybrid clone was made in 98 from cells from a mans leg and a cows egg was destroyed after 12 days instead of the regular 14 for reasons not made public i remember this. 4 years ago 2008 Wood and Andrew french the chief Scientific officer of California annouced they successfully created 5 mature human embryos using DNA from human skin cells of Dr.Samuel Wood they used his DNA form the cells donated and was transferred to the eggs. They were destroyed. The ability is there and its quite scary the level science is at.
 

bruno

Chief Researcher
@Bruno-in the games, wasn't the T-Virus being developed as early as the 60s? My memory kinda sucks but I seem to recall Umbrella being founded in the 60s as a coverup for the viral research, thus putting a good 30 years into the virus project (if memory serves of course lol.)

That was the Progenitor virus. The t-virus was only created in 1978 (using leech DNA). By 1988, Marcus was killed and Birkin became the lieder of the t-virus research. He developed it, using the Ebola virus in some way, and created many BOWs (including the hunter, chimera, cerbero and tyrant). He started G-virus research by 1991, but I believe he was still researching on the t-virus.
 

Rain611

You can't kill me.
That was the Progenitor virus. The t-virus was only created in 1978 (using leech DNA). By 1988, Marcus was killed and Birkin became the lieder of the t-virus research. He developed it, using the Ebola virus in some way, and created many BOWs (including the hunter, chimera, cerbero and tyrant). He started G-virus research by 1991, but I believe he was still researching on the t-virus.

Ah, ok. Thanks. :D
 

APV

Wait, Who stole me Haggis?
Ok i gather that many people agree that it isnt an impossibility so i ask you this....In the unlikely event of a viral/biological outbreak...

What would you do?
Where would you go?
How would you survive?

AP
 

APV

Wait, Who stole me Haggis?
Good idea Doom but how would you survive for as long as possible?where would you go after you get to the coast?


As for me where i live has a TA base nearby. Id head there and gather any and all weapons possible, ive worked there before and know where to go aswell, then id head for a small local shop to gather supplies as much as my car can carry then i would get my immediate family and friends then head for the clyde and try to acquire a boat to head out to the outer hebrides. Has a few flaws but i thinks its possible!

AP
 

AusyAndy

Well-Known Member
I would be pretty screwed. I live with my family (parents and brothers) so I'd be stuck with them, and the only weapons we have is a double-barrel shotgun and a couple of bolt-action .22's. If I was to go out on my own I'd likely be left with just my bow to try and defend myself with - not a scenario I'd like to try out!..

Ideally I would want to stock up on supplies and take a boat out to the ocean - which would be unbelievably difficult because so many people would probably have the same idea, and I don't live close to a place with a lot of boats just sitting around (about a one hour drive to the beach, then to trying to find a boat to 'borrow' with fuel, the keys etc.) so it'd be hard enough just getting to the sea...

I think the hardest part would be getting yourself organised at the start when everyone's panicking and running around crazy, possibly looting and stealing, etc... So, another idea would be go the complete opposite direction by not trying to run from it all while everyone else is, and hole up in the large truck depot across the street from my house until things (like mass panic in the streets) die down a bit then head out looking for supplies and stuff, then maybe go find a boat once all the chaos might have settled down a bit...

But if it were to happen, it better not be for about at least another 10 years when I have the independence and means to at least try and survive. :D
 

AgentZero

Through that door, is a seperate reality.
Ok i gather that many people agree that it isnt an impossibility so i ask you this....In the unlikely event of a viral/biological outbreak...

What would you do?
Where would you go?
How would you survive?

AP
I'm gonna make a thread for this
 

Silverback

Moving Mountains
In the event of a Zombie outbreak, I'd probably be screwed. Especially if the outbreak was the equivalent of Raccoon City.

First and foremost, I'm epileptic, meaning I have violent seizures if I don't take my medication. So my first stop would be the Doctors and/or Hospital. I'd have to go on a search through the entire hospital, in search of my desired medication. Kind of like "Left 4 Dead". I'd take my gas mask from home and head to the hospital.

Considering I don't have a clue where exactly the tablets are kept in hospital I'd be in there for days. Maybe if I go there as people are panicking and find a staff member, I could get my meds. I only live about 25 minutes away from the hospital, so I should get there without having to go through too much trouble.

But wait, victims of Zombie attacks are taken to hospital in order that they may be healed - Meaning I'm stuck in a building that is already under attack from patients who have become Zombie's. Panic ensues.

It would probably be night time by the time I found the required medication, so I'd have to hold up in the hospital for the night, keeping myself out of sight from anything that wants to eat me alive.

Once morning rolled around, I'd head out of the hospital and make my way to the local Town, to a local hardware store named "Blue Moon" that sells (to my knowledge) Handguns, Shotguns, Rifles, Air Rifles, Crossbows, Brass Knuckles, Bowie Knifes, other assortments of Knifes, Kevlar vests, ect, ect.

Problem is, Town is a busy place, so there would be many Zombie's and even Zombiefied animals wandering it's streets and throughout the many stores.

Another problem: I think this is the only store in York that sells weapons. Certainly the only store that sells firearms. And by the time I got there the place would have already been ransacked by other people who searched for a means to survive. So there wouldn't be many, if any guns left. Maybe some knifes and a few pairs of brass knuckles if I'm lucky.

Arming myself with any gear & weapons available, I'd then move on up to McDonalds to grab as much food and drinks as I could, visiting JJB beforehand to purchase/take a couple rucksacks to carry around any equiptment I might need.

After this I'd head back home to check on my mother/father. My father would no doubt board up the windows/doors of the house with what little spare would he had left in the shed. Knowing my luck though, my parents would be dead. Because they suck.

I'd place their bodies outside in the wooden shed and lock it, returning to the living room to sit down, eat and watch the news abit for any more coverage on the Zombie invasion.

I spend the night in my home, worrying about my sister who lives about half an hours walk away.

I wake up and use my time to fully prepare myself, gearing up, wearing clothes that are tough for a Zombie to bite into (jeans, for example).

I'd wear jeans, a T-shirt, a hooded sweatshirt over that and then put my bodywarmer on over that. Finally, I'd put my black leather coat on over the rest because we all know you can't be a Zombie ass-kicker without a leather coat. :D

I'd also wear my fingerless gloves, steel toecap boots, gas mask and my Deer hunter's hat. I'd arm myself with any guns I'd found from the store, knifes, a kevlar vest (assuming I found one) a flashlight and carry a few packs of batteries we have in the kitchen draw. I'd take the rucksack/sports bag I found earlier and use to to carry around the sledgehammer I keep next to my wardrobe.

I'd hope to head out at about 8am and move on to my sisters & her boyfriends house. When I get there they are either missing, having locked the door and gone elsewhere for safety, or they're dead/Zombie's, in which case I yell "FOUR!!" and smash my sister across the face with the sledgehammer, sending her several feet into the air before dropping to the ground.

I kill any Zombie's lurking in the house and search every room for anything useful. I'm not likely to find anything useful here.

After this I head back into Town, having forgotten to pick up a map the first time I was there, avoiding/crushing any Zombie's in the way with my sledgehammer. This tires me out so I decide to rely on a gun, instead. Something I'd prefer to save for a dangerous situation that truly called for it - Like if I were to be swarmed by Zombie's.

Having attained a map I search for the nearest harbor/whatever and head in that direction in search of a boat. Now I don't know whereabouts the closest harbor is, as I've never been to one, so the story ends here and fate would take it's course. I'd like to visit Japan, however, so I'd probably head for there.

Would I survive? I have no idea, but I wouldn't give up without a fight. :D
 

Doom guy

Grade one Hunter slayer
Like i said in my previouse post, i would try to get to any of the coastlines around me. Simply becouse i could then charter a boat towards the europian mainland, thats if the zombie outbreak was just limited to the UK of couse. Failing that, i would just try and find some firearms. Even though it would be really hard to equire some over here. Stock up on food, go around blasting zombies into fertiliser, meeting up with other survivors and getting the hell out of there.
 
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