<p>If the possibility of a zombie attack keeps you awake at night, rest assured you're not the only one who's pondered such an occurence. In fact, researchers have performed a new mathematical analysis that explores how we might best approach a battle with the un-dead. <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8206280.stm" title="">The BBC reports: </a></p><div class="vert-display-toggle collapsible relative flex flex-col items-center "><div class="vert-unit mt-4 mb-3 top-20"><div ad-type="mobile-desktop" class="ad-wrapper vert min-h-boombox flex items-start justify-center" data-ad-mapping="inline" data-ad-slot="Discover/inline-ad" id="div-inline-ad-0"></div></div><span aria-label="Advertisement" class="text-ad mt-1 text-[11px] uppercase">Advertisement</span></div><blockquote><p>If zombies actually existed, an attack by them would lead to the collapse of civilisation unless dealt with quickly and aggressively.... [The researchers] say only frequent counter-attacks with increasing force would eradicate the fictional creatures.</p></blockquote><p> Although zombies may be a slightly-less-than-serious topic, there's a serious side to the study, which was published in a book called <em>Infectious Diseases Modelling Research Progress</em>. A zombie attack could be similar to a plague of infectious disease, the researchers say. Still, there's one big difference: Once completely wiped out, diseases don't come oozing and groaning back from the dead. Related Content: Gallery: <a href="https://discover.ac.cn/photos/04-zombie-animals-and-the-parasites-that-control-them" title="">Zombie Animals and the Parasite That Control Them</a> Discoblog: <a href="/planet-earth/parasitic-plants-steal-rna-spy-on-their-hosts" title="">Parasitic Plants Steal RNA, Spy on Their Hosts </a> Discoblog: <a href="/planet-earth/see-it-to-believe-it-animals-vomit-spurt-blood-to-thwart-predators" title="">See It to Believe It: Animals Vomit, Spurt Blood to Thwart Predators</a><a href="https://discover.ac.cn/photos/04-zombie-animals-and-the-parasites-that-control-them" title=""></a></p><p><em>Image: flickr / </em><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/thivierr/" title="">thivierr</a></p><div data-embedid="dcfb67aa-fdf4-4a19-b4c7-75c497a8de9c" id="insticator-embed-temp"></div>

zombies-web.jpg

Learn how researchers analyze the effects of a zombie attack and its similarities to infectious diseases modeling.

Planet Earth

Mathematicians Develop Strategy to Fight Zombies; Bruce Campbell Unimpressed

Article

News

Allison Bond

Science

If the possibility of a zombie attack keeps you awake at night, rest assured you're not the only one who's pondered such an occurence. In fact, researchers have performed a new mathematical analysis that explores how we might best approach a battle with the un-dead. The BBC reports: If zombies actually existed, an attack by them would lead to the collapse of civilisation unless dealt with quickly and aggressively.... [The researchers] say only frequent counter-attacks with increasing force would eradicate the fictional creatures. Although zombies may be a slightly-less-than-serious topic, there's a serious side to the study, which was published in a book called Infectious Diseases Modelling Research Progress. A zombie attack could be similar to a plague of infectious disease, the researchers say. Still, there's one big difference: Once completely wiped out, diseases don't come oozing and groaning back from the dead. Related Content: Gallery: Zombie Animals and the Parasite That Control Them Discoblog: Parasitic Plants Steal RNA, Spy on Their Hosts Discoblog: See It to Believe It: Animals Vomit, Spurt Blood to Thwart Predators Image: flickr / thivierr

Discover Magazine’s award-winning journalism inspires and informs, delivering thought-provoking content that sparks meaningful conversations. With a focus on groundbreaking developments in science, technology, and the world around us, Discover highlights the impact of these innovations on our daily lives.

数学家们研发对抗僵尸的策略；布鲁斯·坎贝尔对此不以为然

新闻简报

Allison Bond

这些蝙蝠在紫外光下会发出绿光，但原因仍然是个谜

不再是“料理鼠王”——芝加哥鼠洞实则被一只松鼠压扁

泰国发现新的科学怪人蜘蛛，一半雄性一半雌性

野狗旅行时遵循熟悉路线，不像自由奔放的野猫探索新地方

这些城市蜥蜴过着充满活力的社交生活，经常与朋友外出

蚊子能闻出谁喝过啤酒，甚至更喜欢喝啤酒者的血

啮齿动物奇特似人的指甲让它们自古以来就能享用坚果

彩虹虾的视力是地球上所有动物中最强的，但我们不知道原因

章鱼的触手可以出拳、举重，有时还能拉动自身体重100倍的海底生物

病毒正在制造“科学怪兔”和“僵尸松鼠”——这是你需要知道的

为什么我们在林中漫步时很少看到动物的尸体？

在为蚁后加冕时，一切都取决于遗传

胎盘哺乳动物，如鲸鱼和人类，如何进化出更大的大脑和进化优势

闪光可能引导萤火虫交配，但气味“敲定交易”

寄生蜂产卵的方式启发了恐怖电影

保持好奇

加入我们的列表

订阅杂志