Virus and Zombies (Resident Evil and ?)

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the concept of viruses and their potential to cause zombie-like behavior, drawing parallels with fictional representations in movies such as Resident Evil. Participants explore the implications of viruses affecting the brain, the nature of zombification, and the portrayal of such themes in various media.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • One participant suggests that if a virus were to affect the brain, it could lead to chaotic situations, potentially requiring stricter lockdowns and military involvement.
  • Another participant raises the idea of a virus causing zombies, questioning the feasibility of the defense department creating such a virus.
  • Some participants mention various films and shows that involve viruses leading to zombie-like behavior, including Warning Sign, Z Nation, and World War Z.
  • There is a discussion about the possibility of nonfatal rabies causing zombie-like behavior, with one participant questioning the rationale behind the defense department pursuing such research.
  • One participant introduces the concept of fungal zombification, referencing a fungus that manipulates ants, suggesting that a fungus could be a more plausible cause of zombification than a virus.
  • Another participant mentions Toxoplasma gondii as an example of a parasite that influences host behavior, noting the potential for evolution of such mechanisms in parasites.
  • Historical context is provided regarding early zombie movies, which often depicted reanimation through voodoo practices, with references to drugs used by voodoo doctors in Haiti.
  • A light-hearted discussion emerges about the terminology surrounding zombies, including playful suggestions for new words related to zombification.
  • One participant references the movie The Serpent and the Rainbow, which is based on the concept of voodoo powder simulating death.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a range of views on the nature of zombification and the role of viruses versus parasites. There is no consensus on whether a virus could realistically cause zombie-like behavior, and the discussion remains unresolved regarding the mechanisms and implications of such phenomena.

Contextual Notes

Participants mention various assumptions about the nature of viruses and parasites, as well as the cultural context of zombie representations in media. The discussion reflects a mix of speculative ideas and references to fictional portrayals without definitive conclusions.

chirhone
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Covid-19 affects mainly the elderly so the results are partial lockdown and many youth still swimming at Miami Beach. And the elderly victims are drowning at ICUs even with ventilators.

In Contagion. The virus affectedthe brain instead of the lungs and the result was encephalitis (infection of the brain). How would it differ if the present virus affects everyone and the brain. Would the lockdown be stricter or bring more chaos (with more military involvement, i don't see military with machine guns in the checkpoints in our city)?

And ultimately. What if the virus affects the brain and influence thinking. Can it cause zombies? Theoretically if the defence department were given billions of dollars to create virus that can cause zombies. Can it be done?

Besides Resident Evil, what other flicks involves the virus and zombies? I watched Resident Evil many times and don't want to watch it again. What good zombie flicks start with virus spread? Are they all caused by virus (not bacteria)?
 
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There was Warning Sign, back in the 80's I think. I think there was one called Z or Z-nation, maybe.

Also there was a show I saw on Discovery or Science Channel a few years back, which stated that a rabies outbreak could make people behave similar to zombies, before they died.
 
World War Z?
 
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chirhone said:
And ultimately. What if the virus affects the brain and influence thinking. Can it cause zombies? Theoretically if the defence department were given billions of dollars to create virus that can cause zombies. Can it be done?

You mean something like nonfatal rabies? Maybe it's possible. But why should the defence department do that?
 
The main issue with zombies is their predisposition to only attack non-zombies.

There is more precedent for a fungal root of zombification. A parasite taking over a host to further its own ends happens in nature - there is a fungus whose life-cycle involves being picked up by an ant, taking over the ant, getting the ant to climb to the top of the highest plant it can find, clamp on with its jaws and die, growing a fungus from its body which can then spread spores much further thanks to the ant climbing up the tree.

There will not be any real evidence to suggest it can be done because anyone who's doing it will be doing so illegally. But I think that a fungus is more likely to be the culprit than a virus.
 
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There are lots of interesting parasitic interactions where the parasite influences the hosts behavior to further its reproductive success.
Toxoplasma gondii comes to mind immediately (and has been considered as affecting humans) as such a case.
You might want to look into Carl Zimm's book Parasite rex which reviews a variety of weird parasitic relationships. (It has a wonderful picture of an amphipod (a crustacean) parasite that has eaten and replaced the tongue of a large fish.)
It would surprise me if there is any limit to the kind of parasite would be able to evolve (given enough time) these manipulative mechanisms.

I have always found it interesting that the first Zombie movies (in the 1930-50's I think) were concerned with reanimating corpses to serve their "master" (voodoo doctors in Haiti usually), kind of like being hypnotized.
Somewhere, I got the understanding that this was based on the use of drugs by voodoo doctors in Haiti that allowed them to control the "will" of their victims, perhaps after having a fake funeral.
As I recall, drugs in Haiti were investigated for these properties, but don't recall any details.

Now, zombies are different (and more exciting).
 
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There was a guy on a police forum who made reference to people "zombing" other people and to people being "zombed", so ok then, maybe we should allow more words and at least one alternative spelling -- maybe now it should be ok to use 'zomber' for the one who did the zombing and 'zombee' for the one who got zombed.
 
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BillTre said:
...
I got the understanding that this was based on the use of drugs by voodoo doctors in Haiti that allowed them to control the "will" of their victims, perhaps after having a fake funeral.
As I recall, drugs in Haiti were investigated for these properties, but don't recall any details.

Now, zombies are different (and more exciting).
There was the 1988 movie The Serpent and the Rainbow which was based on the voodoo powder, which emulated (simulated?) death in a person.
 
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