Zombies, zombies, zombies ... and their favorite treat is brains. This is what we know about these fictional half-human beings that we see in films and video games. And we will tell you that zombies really exist in real life and in nature. What will happen if scientists find a way to resurrect a dead person and all this gets out of hand? Are you scared? Let's look for answers to these questions in our review of ten possible ways that can lead to a zombie apocalypse.
1
Neurogenesis
Neurogenesis technologies allow scientists to potentially revitalize dead brain cells or create new ones. Thus, you can return a person from the kingdom of the dead to the real world.
Just need to consider one thing, which is the structure of our brain. All areas that control our emotions, feelings, memories, consciousness, logic, etc., are located in the upper parts of the brain. In the deeper sections lie our instincts - a feeling of hunger, self-preservation, reproduction.
The most dangerous thing is that the outermost membrane of the brain dies first, and then the inner. What if scientists are late and revive a person devoid of feelings, emotions, consciousness, obsessed only with hunger? Only one thing calms you down is that scientists have not yet been able to revive a single dead brain. But this is only for now ...
2
Cordyceps one-sided
Cordyceps one-sided (Latin ophiocordyceps) is a type of parasite fungus that penetrates the brain and body of an animal and controls it in its interests. The ants become victims of the fungus. After infection, after 2-3 weeks, the fungus creates a special neural network in the ant body, which entangles all organs of the insect.
Guided by a fungus, the ant leaves the anthill, climbs up a tall plant and, with its jaws, attaches to the vein of a leaf or stem. That's all, this is an ideal place for further propagation of spores. The fungus sprouts through the ant's body, using it as a protective suit. Then everything repeats again.
It is possible that such a fungus can infect a person once. Then we will not belong to ourselves, but will be only brainless vessels for parasites, driven by instincts.
3
Toxoplasma
Toxoplasma is another brain parasite that causes abnormal behavior in animals. The parasite seeks to enter the feline, where it begins to develop and multiply. To get there, he resorts to insidious tricks. First, toxoplasma enters the rat’s body and makes it go right into the cat’s paws. The cat eats a rat and becomes infected by itself. An infected animal exhibits inappropriate behavior, cramps, cramping, even death.
The parasite can enter the human body through the feces of cats. Therefore, doctors always warn about the danger of contact with the feces of animals, even domestic ones. Especially the consequences of infection with this parasite are dangerous for pregnant women. There is a great risk of fetal death.
It is possible that having penetrated the body of a person with a weakened immune system, the parasite can take control of the behavior of its owner, causing mental deviations.
4
Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease
The disease is known to us as mad cow disease, but people can also get sick. The disease simply destroys the animal’s brain, causing muscle cramps, cramps and hallucinations. This is a very dangerous and fatal disease, against which there is no cure.
A person infected with mad cow disease becomes, in fact, a real zombie. With this diagnosis, people live less than a year and die. I don’t want to scare you, but if the disease mutates, then it could completely control human behavior. She would spawn violent and eternally hungry zombies.
5
Nanobots
Nanobots are tiny robots that are so small that they cannot be seen with the naked eye. They are the size of a molecule and can adapt to live in the human body or even inside the brain. Although these are technologies of the future, scientists are already conducting active research in this direction. Nanobots will be able to activate certain areas of the brain, making us smarter, more attentive, more fun. But they can take control of our thoughts and feelings, turning them into zombies. Even a month after the death of the body, they will be able to live and control the body. In order to somehow continue its existence, nanobots must find another body and brain. Doesn’t resemble anything?
6
Neurotoxins
In 1962, Clark Narcissus was pronounced dead and buried in the usual way. It would seem that this is supernatural, but after 18 years, Clark was seen walking around the outskirts of his city. This case is not isolated, a similar thing happened in the XII-XIII centuries. It turns out that the local voodoo sorcerer used some chemicals to revitalize the body. Somehow, the dead body freed itself and reached its sister. He told her that the voodoo sorcerer revived him and now he is his slave.
Scientists from Harvard went to these places to find out the truth themselves. They were introduced to the sorcerer, who showed them the powder that had resurrected Clark. Scientists took some powder for themselves and tested on rats. In surprise, they saw that the rats first fell into a state similar to death, and after a few hours they came to life again. The powder turned out to be the strongest neurotoxin that affects the functions of the human brain. However, this incident is not documented anywhere and may turn out to be just a fictional story. This incident became the basis for many films about the zombie apocalypse.
Pay attention to an interesting article on thebiggest.ru about the TOP 25 most dangerous poisons known to mankind.
7
Emerald Cockroach Wasp
Emerald cockroach wasp is a parasitic insect. From her way to lay eggs, you can get goosebumps. She finds a cockroach and bites it, but the bite does not kill the insect, but only paralyzes. Wasp toxin acts so that a cockroach can move, but only not of its own free will.
Next, the wasp takes the cockroach by the antennae and leads it like a cow to its shelter. There she lays eggs directly in the body of a cockroach and closes it in its hole. Three days later, the larvae hatch, which feed on the body of the same cockroach. The cockroach becomes a real zombie, which is subordinate to the wasp. Amazing nature itself has created mechanisms for controlling consciousness and will.
On the other most unusual insects on our site thebiggest.ru read a fascinating article.
8
Hymenoepimecis argyraphaga parasite
This type of wasp belongs to the order Hymenoptera insects that live in Central America. She can take control of the spider’s mind and use its body to lay larvae. Everything happens as follows. A wasp paralyzes a spider with its bite and larvae lays on its abdomen. Then the spider moves away from the wasp toxin and continues to live its life. The larvae feed on spider juice, but after two weeks they inject a special toxin into the body that changes its behavior.
The spider begins to weave a completely unusual web, blocking itself in it like in a cocoon. In fact, he himself falls into his trap. Then the larvae calmly grow in a cocoon, eating a spider. This chemical has not yet been synthesized, but perhaps someday it can be used to create zombies.
9
Hairy or horse hair
This parasite looks like a worm. A long thin body, usually 20-30 cm. Hairy individuals live in water, where they lay their larvae, which attach to plants. These larvae wait for some animal, most often these are small ground insects, to not swallow them together with water or grass. Once in their body, the larvae begin to develop and do not bother their host. After a few weeks, an already matured hairy individual somehow makes its owner go to the water. The owner drowns, and the worm gnaws a hole in the body and gets out into the water. An interesting fact is that if for some reason the animal’s body is not suitable for hair larvae, they enter a state of suspended animation and wait until some predator swallows an unsuitable body.
There have been cases of human hair infection. The larva is very small, it is almost impossible to see. It can penetrate the heel of a person in the water and develop there. From this he was nicknamed "horse hair." There were rumors that the larvae got to the human brain and drove him crazy, but this is fiction. In humans, they do not parasitize, even if they enter the intestines.
There is little chance that this species will cause the beginning of the zombie apocalypse, but the laws of nature sometimes give rise to simply unimaginable things.
10
Miami Zombies
In 2012, a man named Rudy Eugene attacked and tried to eat a homeless man in Miami, California. Cannibal accused the stroller of stealing his bible, then severely beat him until he lost consciousness. Then he literally began to eat the face of the victim, mutilating him beyond recognition. He ate his lips, nose, part of his face. Arriving police officers found him at a terrible meal and ordered him to stop. The man began to growl and rush to guard the order. The police had no choice but to shoot him. Later, the examination found traces of a synthetic drug, better known as “bath salt,” in the maniac’s blood. After his inappropriate behavior, Rudy Eugene was nicknamed “Zombies from Miami” after his death.
Summary
Of course, the zombie apocalypse is in many ways just an invention of science fiction writers and filmmakers, but nature says otherwise. We see that in the world there are such forces and beings that can enslave the consciousness of other creatures. It's true. It is. Now science is moving forward with leaps and bounds. What if something goes according to our scenario? Suddenly we ourselves will become slaves to our achievements, which has been shown more than once in films? These facts make us think a lot. It must be remembered that it is very dangerous to interfere with the laws of nature.