Students research mathematics behind a zombie apocalypse

[Sir Broccoli]

A couple of students have written a paper about the mathematics behind a zombie apocalypse. In their paper they made 4 possible models: A normal one, one where a cure has been developed, one with quarantine and one where they try to kill the zombies.

The conclusion? We're all going to die.

Article:
http://www.windsorstar.com/health/Students+mathematics+against+zombie+apocalypse/1894854/story.html
The paper:
http://www.mathstat.uottawa.ca/~rsmith/Zombies.pdf

 

[Casual Shinji]

The zombie apocalypse is SOOOOO last season.

 

[Pandalisk]

Yes it could be disaterious, And yet it will be extremely difficult to recreate something that is dead, feels no pain, and yet wishes to feed, i assume anyway, i dont trust those "Scientists"

anyway, its all terrorist nuke attacks now.

 

[scnj]

Is an apocalypse a likely situation? I mean, these things are slow moving and dumb. Surely they'd be put down before their numbers got too huge.

 

[traceur_]

That is awesome.

 

[Sigel]

Call me crazy but I don't think I will believe high school "scientists" about my fate in the upcoming zombie apocalypse. I and my group have our zombie plan, we are all set. Bring it.

 

[Proteus214]

I think at some point someone made a zombie apocalypse simulator to show how the "disease" or whatever would spread. After running tons of different scenarios, they found that the zombies won in almost all of them. The only way the humans would win is if the first couple carriers are killed off with extreme prejudice VERY early on.

In short, it showed that if the zombie apocalypse ever happened, we would be royally fucked.

 

[bluepilot]

Look at how fast the swine flu spread

It truly would be a pandemic

 

[KaiRai]

I'd CQC those muh'fuggers.

No really, no zombie would make it near me.

 

[ssgt splatter]

Is an apocalypse a likely situation? I mean, these things are slow moving and dumb. Surely they'd be put down before their numbers got too huge.

Well, what if they're left 4 dead zombies? They're not slow and they're smart enough to cut you off.

 

[scnj]

Is an apocalypse a likely situation? I mean, these things are slow moving and dumb. Surely they'd be put down before their numbers got too huge.

Well, what if they're left 4 dead zombies? They're not slow and they're smart enough to cut you off.

They're not true zombies. True zombies don't run.

 

[ssgt splatter]

Is an apocalypse a likely situation? I mean, these things are slow moving and dumb. Surely they'd be put down before their numbers got too huge.

Well, what if they're left 4 dead zombies? They're not slow and they're smart enough to cut you off.

They're not true zombies. True zombies don't run.

So what makes a zombie a zombie is that they must be undead and slow?

 

[scnj]

Is an apocalypse a likely situation? I mean, these things are slow moving and dumb. Surely they'd be put down before their numbers got too huge.

Well, what if they're left 4 dead zombies? They're not slow and they're smart enough to cut you off.

They're not true zombies. True zombies don't run.

So what makes a zombie a zombie is that they must be undead and slow?

Essentially, yes. Death is kind of a disability, not something that would grant super speed or strength.

 

[Aac18]

Essentially, yes. Death is kind of a disability, not something that would grant super speed or strength.

Providing that the neural links between the brain and the body have not been severed then in theory there is no reason why death would make a zombie slow. In fact because all limitations such as pain and the upper limit of strength (your muscles have a physical limit to stop them tearing themselves from the bone due to the contractile strength) have been removed there is a good chance that a reanimated "zombie" would be faster and physically stronger than a human until it begins to decay or it receives a major injury from over straining its muscles.

 

[L4hlborg]

Is an apocalypse a likely situation? I mean, these things are slow moving and dumb. Surely they'd be put down before their numbers got too huge.

Well, that's what you might think and seems logical BUT here is a small catch: look at people walking in the street. A big one. Do they look alive to you? Yes they do. Why? Because they walk. Doesn't matter how the walk. It's just that they walk, right? So, if there would be a zombie in the crowd, would you notice it? I doubt not. Naturally, someone biting another would be noticed (maybe). Ofcource, one bite is nothing, but when it starts to spread, it would most likely happen quickly. Most people wouldn't believe they are zombies.

Unprepared people are dead meat, because they might assume that they are just a bit sick or something and try to talk to them. Instead, they get bitten. And the more zombies, the easier the infection spreads. Sounds like possible apocalypse to me-

 

[see_you_at_the_GALLOWS]

no one would let them selves beleive it and because of the general desensitisation no one would try and stop it and people who did would be called mad and disbeleived. their is no trust in modern sociaty so no one would team together very well. only a couple of people would survive but die eventuly because the levels of zombies would be rising and they would be over powered in time, even if you manadged to escape to a small island in the middle of the sea zombies would get their eventuly, because of the lack of human flesh they would go searching. a zombie outbreeak could easely systamaticly wipe the world clean with out much bother.

 

[scnj]

Unprepared people are dead meat, because they might assume that they are just a bit sick or something and try to talk to them. Instead, they get bitten. And the more zombies, the easier the infection spreads. Sounds like possible apocalypse to me-

Luckily for me, I'm always on the lookout.

 

[Captain Pancake]

If that was his thesis, I would graduate him Magna Cum Laude.