We know you’ve been dying to learn about zombies for some time now. The story never ends with these undead creatures. That’s why we’ve gathered 10 of the most unreal facts about the living dead to satisfy your craving for all things horror. Keep reading to learn about zombie origin stories, the government’s plan to survive the apocalypse, real-life zombies, and more!
Zombie Facts
The Fear of the Undead Rising Is Ancient
While we’ve known for quite some time that people can’t come back to life, our ancestors were not so convinced. Dating back to the Stone Age and Ancient Greece, people attempted to prevent the dead from rising by burying each skeleton under heavy objects and restraining or dismembering the bodies before laying them to rest. The word “zombie” derives from West African Voodoo traditions, meaning “reanimated corpse”. In these traditions, people thought that corpses rose due to black magic rather than being infected with a virus (which is the typical Western depiction of zombies in pop culture).
Pop Culture Has Not Prepared You to Actually Kill a Zombie
Audiences have been obsessed with zombies and the apocalypse for decades, with TV shows, movies, and video games such as The Walking Dead, World War Z, and The Last of Us garnering loyal fan bases. Pop culture has taught fans that destroying the brain of a zombie destroys the threat, but it vastly underrepresents the difficulty of that destruction. Hand-to-hand combat and associated weapons seem to be the preferred method for staying alive in a fictional zombie apocalypse. But most of the time, these weapons (baseball bats, machetes, spears) are too draining and heavy to be used repeatedly in the real world. Long story short, don’t always believe what you see on TV! They make it seem so easy…
Why Do Zombies Eat Brains? Preference or Pleasure?
Media has chosen to represent a zombie’s behavior and appetite differently depending on the specific cinematic universe. Some zombies aren’t very picky when it comes to their next meal; they’ll eat any human or animal flesh. Others strictly eat human flesh or exclusively human brains. The first depiction of brain-craving zombies appears in Dan O’Bannon’s film Return of the Living Dead, which was released in 1985. O’Bannon has explained that the potential catalyst for brain-craving is to ease the pain of the zombies. The zombies in the 2013 film Warm Bodies actively prefer brains to flesh. When these zombies consume brains, the victim’s memories get transferred to the undead, reminding the zombies of the human experience. Either way, there seem to be layers to a zombie’s dietary needs that go beyond basic instinct.
May Is Zombie Awareness Month
The Zombie Research Society declared May as Zombie Awareness Month, which celebrates zombie media and recognizes ways to prepare for the zombie apocalypse. Participants are encouraged to wear gray ribbons to spread awareness of the potential dangers of the undead. Ways to get involved include attending charity events and conventions, binge-watching your favorite zombie shows and movies, dressing up as a zombie, and sharing tips on how to survive and thrive when the dead begin to rise.
The First Zombie Movie Came Out in 1932
Victor Halperin’s White Zombie was the first full-length feature zombie movie. The film shows a woman being turned into a zombie by an evil voodoo priest. Watch this classic film to see what happens to the first zombie in cinematic history!
Surviving the Zombie Apocalypse: The Best and Worst States to Live
The state you live in can make or break your chances of staying alive during a zombie apocalypse, as farmland and population are major factors in surviving. The best-case scenario would be to reside in a state with lots of farmland and fewer people. The folks in the Midwest are in a good spot for survival, with North Dakota named the best state to survive the zombie apocalypse in 2023. States with less farmland and many people are not as lucky, with New Jersey being the worst state to reside in for survival (sorry, New Jerseyans).
The Pentagon Has Planned for the Zombie Apocalypse
The Pentagon’s “Counter-Zombie Dominance Plan” is a 31-page strategy document that covers a defensive plan, zombie removal strategies, and how to restore law and order. The plan prepares for all types of zombies, ranging from pop culture’s depiction to vegetarian zombies destroying America’s crops. Finally, the plan clarifies that there will be no legal ramifications for attacking zombies. The Pentagon uses this plan as an unconventional and engaging tool for government and military personnel to be creative in their thinking of strategies and tactics. It’s nice to have a back-up plan… better to be safe than sorry.
Can Zombies “Live” Forever?
If a zombie was alone on a deserted island, would it die again? Technically, brain damage is the only way to kill a zombie. A lack of food will weaken the zombie, but their bodies will “live on” for quite a while, as they do not need any nutrients. As time goes on, the zombie will continue to decompose.
The Zombie Economy Is Worth Over Five Billion Dollars
The different forms of zombie media and products, including movies, video games, books, costumes, and more, have amassed at least $5.74 billion.
Three Individuals Identified as Zombies in Their Communities
In 1997, three individuals in Haiti were classified as zombies due to being considered dead, then randomly reemerging years after death. Family and friends were convinced these people rose from the dead, especially due to their disoriented state. Don’t worry; doctors have debunked these cases by explaining the medical conditions that resulted in these situations.
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