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How Zombies Work

Tsaroth writes "Just in time for everyone's Halloween fantasy, a horde of undead minions to collect candy for you; HowStuffWorks.com has just put up a new article about How Zombies Work. From Haitian zombies, to Dawn of the Dead it's more fun with corpses than you've ever had, hopefully." Ewww. From the article: "It happens in just about every zombie movie -- a throng of reanimated corpses lumbers toward the farmhouse, shopping mall, pub or army base where the heroes have barricaded themselves. The zombies aren't dead, but they should be. They're relentless and oblivious to pain, and they continue to attack even after losing limbs. Usually, anyone the zombies kill returns as a zombie, so they quickly evolve from a nuisance to a plague."

15 of 189 comments (clear)

  1. This is no joking matter, people! by Saint+Aardvark · · Score: 4, Funny
    A recent report shows that Philadelphia is completely unprepared for a full-scale Zombie attack! From TFA:

    Federal Undead Management Agency spokesperson Dr. Sheena Aurora downplayed the ZPI report, arguing that zombies move slowly and can be easily overpowered. Aurora advised citizens to look over their shoulders frequently, adding that a large shopping mall can serve as a "long-term, even fun" refuge from zombies.

    Such assertions alarm zombiologist Olivier Baptiste, who calls FUMA's information "hopelessly outdated."

    "Dr. Aurora's claims are based on decades-old zombie models," Baptiste said. "Widely released evidence from recent years clearly shows that zombies can run just as fast, if not faster, than a living human."

    Added Baptiste: "That FUMA trains its field agents to shoot zombies in the torso, rather than the head, demonstrates just how out of touch the government is."

    /me scurries to secured basement...

  2. Howstuffworks. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    Next up: how elves, fairies, and eskimos work!

  3. Zombies! by Trikenstein · · Score: 5, Funny

    Got these guys on speed dial (just in case...)

  4. My Wifes a zombie by Alex+P+Keaton+in+da · · Score: 4, Funny

    My wife seems like a zombie in bed sometimes. How can I get her to watch more porn?

    --
    And All I Ask is a Tall Ship And a Star to Steer Her By
  5. Re:May I be the first to say... by j_kenpo · · Score: 4, Funny

    Just beware of the zombies that chant:

    scroootum

    scoooootuuuum

    SCROTUM

    They can have my brains if they leave the family jewels alone

  6. Not undead by zuvembi · · Score: 5, Funny

    We prefer the term living impaired, Thank You very much.

    *ahem*

    I almost forgot.

    BRRRRaaaainnnzzz!!!

    1. Re:Not undead by Coneasfast · · Score: 4, Funny

      BRRRRaaaainnnzzz!!!

      dude! you're totally in the wrong place! go look elsewhere.

      --
      Marge, get me your address book, 4 beers, and my conversation hat.
  7. May I be the first to answer... by Spy+der+Mann · · Score: 4, Funny
    1. Re:May I be the first to answer... by squidfood · · Score: 4, Funny

      TFA sucked. It had a "shop or compare prices" section at the end and you couldn't buy a zombie. Just a bunch of freakin' movies.

  8. Not what I expected by earthforce_1 · · Score: 5, Funny

    I was expecting an article describing how home PCs are attacked and turned into remotely controlled spambots.

    --
    My rights don't need management.
  9. Need help. by Fallingcow · · Score: 4, Funny

    I'm currently fighting off a zombie attack, so I don't have time to RTFA.

    Could someone please summarize the part about how to kill them?

    Also, how do you treat a zombie-bite wound? Band-aids, some neosporin? This one on my ankle hurts like a bitch, and it's starting to go kinda numb around it.

    K thx bye.

  10. what do we want? by philo_enyce · · Score: 5, Funny

    what do we want?
    brains!
    when do we want it?
    brains!

  11. joke.... by zeroclash · · Score: 5, Funny

    Whats a vegetarian zombie say?

    GRRAAAAIINNNSS ;)

  12. Re:Fool Proof Zombie Survival Plan by kakos · · Score: 4, Funny

    Or if you're so fortune to go up against Dalek zombies, you don't even have to demolish the stairs.

  13. Re:Fool Proof Zombie Survival Plan by Darkman,+Walkin+Dude · · Score: 4, Funny

    Actually I whiled away an hour or two devising a zombie combat kit there last month. Basically you need to protect yourself from bites, mob attacks, and not much else, and destroy the brain. Assuming a near infinite number of zombies, high tech solutions will usually fail, meaning ammo runs out and equipment jams.

    The best weapons to defeat zombies in close combat would be punch knives of some kind (similar to these, but with the guard across the front or even a full hand fencing guard) although the jury is out as to whether one or two straight spikes for penetration and ease of withdrawal would be better than a maximum damage broad bladed knife, with guaranteed brain destruction.

    The method of use for these blades would be straight punches, head or eye height, in and out. A single person could take out a zombie a second with a couple of these. I might also recommend an oil soaked sheath to keep it lubricated. Speaking of oil, mobility is a factor, so some sort of loose link mail of ceramic or other light material would be good. This could then be oiled up to provide less traction for the zombies' gripping hands. What we're really talking about here is human bites, so even stff leather could do the job fairly well.

    Full face coverage would be important, and a locking mechanism under the jaw to prevent the zombies ripping off the helmet, with high shoulder neck guards to prevent them gripping under the neck.

    Its very hard to completely destroy a brain inside a skull at any range without guns or crossbows of some sort, so instead I would advise letting the zombies come to you. Rig up a corridor with a hinged floor going to a quicklime pit or even a sheer Y drop, to trap the undead in the pit, then bait them in straight and close the door behind them. Both of these can be done manually and with very limited technical ability. Once trapped, either pour in more quicklime or spear the trapped zombies with a spike. Once completed, rinse and repeat, either disposing of the corpses over the wall or by cremation. At a rate of a thousand zombies a day, you can clear out a city of a half million undead in just over a year.

    For forays and travelling, groups would of course be advisable, trained in back to back or three corner fighting methods, to prevent individuals being surrounded. For larger scale incursions, Roman legion tactics would be best, shields and short blades or punch knives.