Solanum is fiction, solanum is not real, solanum does not cause zombies.

Many readers [Holden, mikac, Michael] have mentioned Solanum or written that they have researched zombies, finding Solanum to be the cause. FAIL. Solanum is a large, variable genus of annual plants and perennial plants. They often have attractive fruit and flowers. They are poisonous to humans (though not necessarily to other animals), but many bear edible fruits, leaves, or tubers.  In case you don’t get the joke, one form of Solanum fruit is the tomato, Solanum lycopersicum. Potatoes, Tomatoes and Eggplants. Not zombies.

I’m not trying to deny or belittle those with concerns about zombies, it’s just that the zombie creating Solanum virus is fake, and the record needs to be set straight. Focus your research efforts elsewhere. The Undead Report has focused at length about other possible zombie causes, including aggressive rabies strains, toxoplasma gondii, organ and cellular reanimative efforts and Helacyton gartleri. These are legitimate concerns, Solanum is not.

Max Brooks fails to fact-check a section of his own book. About page 130, he states “…hunters have come up against walking dead who only hours before were members of their own party!”, when it is declared throughout the book that death and reanimation take approximately a day “Hour 23: Reanimation” (page 7). This is a pretty glaring mistake and should make clear that the ZSG is a work of excellent (and often humourous) fiction.

More information on the fallacy of zombie Solanum can be read at Above Top Secret, or Wikipedia which states “‘Solanum’, [is] the fictional virus that creates a zombie”. If you have any information similar to actual viruses, bacteria or symbiotes which cause a zombie-like in mammals, please let me know.

Undead in Magazine and Books

This April, Discover Magazine’s ran an article about Wade Davis, the ethnobotanist who researched Haitian zombies. His work lead to the book and movie “The Serpent and the Rainbow”. He was the only white man to be initiated into the cult like secret societies, he learned the way to make real zombies;  the neurotoxin induced psychosis zombie made through voodoo zombie powder. Psychosis zombies come from a powdered derivative of TTX or tetrodotoxin, from certain puffer fish native to the Haitian waters.

Humor publications also run undead corpse and zombie related topics, The Onion most notably. Of spot-on interest is the article, “Study Reveals Pittsburgh Unprepared For Full-Scale Zombie Attack“.

Government-conducted zombie-attack scenarios described on the State Department’s website indicate that a successful, citywide zombie takeover would take 10 days, but according to ZPI statistician Dr. Milton Cornelius, the government’s models fail to incorporate such factors as the zombies’ rudimentary reasoning skills and basic tool use.

While the humor is a bit of a stretch, is your city really prepared? Max Brooks’ Zombie Survival Guide and World War Z are excellent reads, providing useful information and a realistic narrative of a post-zombie holocaust. I won’t go into detail about the books here, but I strongly suggest you read them. World War Z is very well written, and quite scary.

Zombie Dreams

Several readers have written me and shared their zombie dream experiences, relieved to discover their dreams are not uncommon. Many, myself included, have had “me versus them” zombie dreams that almost seem like training or practice for a zombie apocalypse. These dreams can be influenced by films and books, but still carry a common thread with the dreamer, who seems to be preparing for the inevitable, training to kill zombies and survive the holocaust. Readers share that their zombie dreams seem to focus on actively participating in the holocaust, revealing neither the end nor the beginning, similar to George Romero’s movies.

The funny thing is I keep having re occouring nightmares of zombies. Never have I had these type of dreams…

I too have been constantly dreaming of the undead, but only because my friends and I have been dwelling on the thought for so long. I’ve done my share of homework, and judging by what this article reads, I’d say it’s extremely close if not entirely IDENTICAL to my own perception of 2012 and the zombie pandemic…

A girl from Maine wrote… how they seem like fighting practice…

I just woke up from a dream… The funny thing about these dreams is how these seem so real… I was running from zombies and very scared… I seemed to be searching for them and I did have a handgun… I felt “experienced” in this one. In every dream though it was clear there was not too many people left on earth.

Zombies as a Social Metaphor

A colleague suggests that you can understand the weltgeist based on monsters or demons in popular films. In the 50s and 60s it was often nuclear war, mutants and aliens, suggestive of our fear of communists, growing xenophobia and living in a a post-war, post nuclear society. Later, it was vampires and zombies – sucking the life out of cities and people as more and more Americans moved to the suburbs and tuned out from city life and each other, stressing the economy. In the late 80s and early 90s, it was slasher and demon films, one unstoppable killer against many, echoing the increase of public paranoia and the daily fear of your neighbors. Parents became overly cautious and overbearing. “They Live”, the cult classic John Carpenter film is a fantastic metaphor for the Reagan era and a massive increase in materialism and the disappearing middle class.

Zombie films are definitely on the rise, in the past five years, we’ve had the 28 Days saga with its human induced virus zombies, remakes of the Dead series, new terrifying zombies in the Resident Evil films, and numerous independent zombie films. While not every zombie movie has an axe to grind with culture and material desire, their numerous releases parallel common sentiment that many people, Americans in particular, are tuning out to the real world – becoming zombies and mindlessly going about their trivial business, devouring the less fortunate without second thought.

Zombie Video Games

It’s hardly necessary to mention zombie video games. There are fewer zombie themed games than films produced, but they are gaining in number. While many games do not have zombies as the main foe or plot device, they make an appearance in several games as support enemies or unique levels.

Zombies are difficult enemies in Doom 3, Quake, Return to Castle Wolfenstein, STALKER, Half Life 2, and many more. They range in attacking ability – some are slow, some explode and others shoot at the player – but they remain a difficult target. Unfortunately, not a lot of games understand the whole “headshot” thing. STALKER zombies seem to get it right, as they tend to be more difficult to kill than their human counterparts. Headshots certainly work much better in the Half Life series, though eviscerating a zombie with a saw blade and watching half its corpse come after you is also quite accurate. Just remember to aim for the neck or head, no body shots and you’ll do alright.

Zombie themed games include Dead Rising, the Resident Evil series, and the upcoming (sure to be awesome) multiplayer Left for Dead. If you are looking for an RPG style zombie experience, I suggest Urban Dead, a web based zombie game. You can create multiple characters, play as survivor or zombie, and continue to be revived.

If you want to prepare for the holocaust – look no further than your local book and movie store.

Update 2009-05-14:

You can buy some of this stuff in the Zombie Apocalypse Store!

Personal Defense

You will need some sort of personal protection, and bullet resistant vests aren’t going to cut it. Yes, they are necessary, but only to a point. More appropriate would be hard impact bite and puncture resistant armor. The vest will be essential during the early stages, as a precaution against looters and hoodlums with guns, and general hysteria. You’ll want the hard shell armor for ongoing protection against damage and the undead.

There are several options available to the general consumer now, the pre-war time. Hockey and sports gear just won’t cut it. Sorry, Casey Jones. Some offer large amounts of padding, and others offer protective hard shells. Damascus Gear FlexForce is a fine set of protective gear. Billed as riot gear or crowd control gear, it will offer considerable protection against small melee battles with zombies.

The system protection from blunt force trauma without sacrificing fit or comfort. The suit is lightweight and allows for rapid mobility and flexibility, covering legs, front and rear torso, shoulders and arms. It can be found at various online realtors for under $500 USD. Alternatively, you can buy only the pieces you need. Hatch Centurion armor, while offering less protective gear, is another fine choice. Don’t skimp here. While a zombie may be able to bite you un unprotected areas, and you’ll still be easily ripped apart by a dozen zombies, not only will you be able to better defend yourself, you’ll look really cool.

Life Support

Things will stink. Literally. Rotting flesh, the dead and undead, garbage, sewers, health hazards, overturned trucks or trains. The apocalypse will be a messy, smelly, dangerous place to survive in. There are several options to make life last a little longer.

You will need a system for personal air filtration. Don’t buy a gas mask at your local Army Navy surplus store. They’re crap, they’re old and the filters won’t stop a fart. You’ll need something new and most likely, not as extreme.

If you were facing a human menace, a full head gas mask may be appropriate, but you won’t be. There will be no tear gas, CS gas VX gas or anything nasty like that. You may want a gas mask for the initial happening to prepare against the use of tear gas or crowd control agents, but after that, a respirator will suffice. It will be less weight, offer great mobility and ease of use.

The North 7700 half mask respirator will get the job done for you. At less than $30 (excluding filters), it’s a wise investment. You’ll need the best filters for the job though, HEPA P-100 filters help defend against nuclear biological and chemical agents, as well as asbestos and bacterial. You may find yourself in some nasty old buildings with three foot cement walls and asbestos floors. You’ll want this.

Daily Operations

Footwear

You’ll need tough gear to survive the aftermath. Do you think footwear manufacturers will still be making boots after the 2012 zombie holocaust? Then congratualtions, you’ll be left behind. You’ll want a fine pair of boots for the miles of walking you’ll doubtless grow accustomed to, and tennis shoes or sandals won’t cut it. They’ll hardly protect you from a puddle or dog poop, much less climbing over mountains of corpses.

You may find combat boots at your local milsur store, but for durability and longevity, you should go for something a little more refined. I recommend 5.11 Tactical’s boots. Tough, durable and comfortable, they offer hours of support and mobility and have several models available.

That’s right, you can run marathons in them. Besides comfort, they also offer chain-link fence climbing grips, rappeling grips, and options of side zippers and safety toes. 5.11 boots also come in kid and women friendly sizes.

I swear by 5.11 Tactical boots. I’ve been wearing my pair almost daily since I bought them two years ago. They remain durable, comfortable and can still take a shine for those formal events.

Gloves

Don’t forget your hands. You’re going to get dirty. And cut. And you’ll need to punch, rip and stab things. I wish i could offer an end-all be-all glove, but I can’t. So you’ll need several, and there are a few shining options you’ll need to carry on your person at all times.

For serious protection, I recommend the Ironclad Extreme Duty II. This mother rips through steel (if you’ve got the muscles) and offers a face-pounding diamond rubber palm and grip, rubberized knuckles and a gauntlet to prevent debris or infected brain matter from ruining your watch. The features on this glove may seem extreme, but you’ll be glad you have a pair when you’r reduced to smashing heads with big rocks and then throwing corpses onto a fire all day.

You’ll also need a pair for daily use and protection, or depending on if you’re trying to survive in a cold or hot climate. Under Armour makes all-purpose tactical gloves that offer insulation, grip and comfort. You don’t want to slip negotiating rickety ladders or having a lobotomizing weapon fly out of your hands to leave you defenseless.

Survival Gear

You will also need a full complement of gear for day to day survival, but this will vary widely depending on your situation and locale. I recommend a list of the following posessed by at least one member of your small and tight knit survival party.

• Crowbars / Sledge Hammers – useful for not only entry, but also smashing Zack’s head.
• Machetes / Blades – as Max Brooks points out, blades don’t need reloading. Preferably you’ll find one with a long, stay sharp blade.
• Torches – those crank and shake flashlights just don’t cut it n the long run. You’ll still need the power of super bright, long lasting LED torches or Maglites.
• Fire – you will need a sure source of fire, preferably attached in front of some kind of propellant. You’re gonna want to torch stuff at some point.

The apocalypse will be a scary time, and it won’t be for the timid. Whether its in 2012, 2009, or tomorrow, you’ll want to make sure you survive with your brain intact. The best way to do that is by preparing for the worst. Remember, use your head – destroy theirs.

Resources

• Damascus Gear FlexForce Armor
• North 7700 half mask respirator
• 5.11 Tactical ATAC Waterproof boots
• Ironclad Extreme Duty II Gloves
• Under Armour Tactical cold condition gloves

The most common primary weapon will probably be rifles, as machine guns and sub-machine guns are currently hard to come by for the general public. After the fall of military and policing units, they may be easier to acquire. Also common and equally as important, if not more destructive, is the shotgun. Current civilian shotguns are ususally limited to 2 or 5 rounds, or in the case of police issue Benellis a chamber of 8. This can be quite limiting when faced with large quantities of the undead. You need the rapid reload, fire and ammunition capacity of a sub-machine gun while harnessing the destructive power of the 12-gauge shotgun. The answer lies in a devestating new weapon being developed: the AA-12 Automatic Assault 12-gauge shotgun.

The reliability and usability of shotguns during a zombie outbreak is a hotly contested issue. On one hand, their ruggedness and stopping power are not to be underestimated. On the other hand, they take considerable time to reload and their muzzle climb and recoil negatively affect accuracy and successful headshot capability. The AA-12 seeks to eradicate these problems.

Carrying a 10, 20 or 32 round clip, firing a devastating 300 rounds per minute and having almost no muzzle climb or recoil, the AA-12 is the ultimate weapon for a zombie invasion. The only potential setback is such a weapon is not legal for a civilian to own as it has no legal sporting purpose. Durable, relaiable, strong and machined to withstand various climates, weather, water and grime, the AA-12 will maintain itself as a steadfast and deadly weapon for repelling undead hordes. Videos after the jump.

Now, my friends over at Zombies Are Coming have complied reasons as to why a shotgun does not make for a good weapon in a zombie outbreak. Five bullet points are presented, and the AA-12 fires every one.

• 1 – Ammo Capacity: Even the Benelli Super-90 only holds eight rounds, and as evidenced by a panicked Ving Rhames in “Dawn of the Dead”, 8 is not enough. The AA-12 holds a minimum 10 rounds in a quick loading box, or 20 or greater in a fast firing (and easy to load) drum.
• 2 – Reloading Ability: No longer is the shotgun operator stuck opening the breech or sliding in shell after shell – just drop and replace a clip or drum with the AA-12.
• 3 – Rate of Fire: No contest here. The AA-12 Automatic Shotgun produces an incredible 300 rounds per minute – thats 5 rounds per second you’re pumping into zombie heads, always on target. You can even mount it on a vehicle.
• 4 – Range and Power: You certainly don’t need to worry about range and power when your grouping and accuracy is so tight. Not to mention you can fire grenade rounds 175 yards – more later.
• 5 – Ease of Use: It may be heavy, but it’s rugged and reliable, and incredibly easy to use; even a 100 pound woman can fire the weapon one-handed. Point and shoot – it doesn’t get any easier.

Currently being developed for SWAT and military CQB (Close Quarters Battle) operations, the AA-12 will augment our offensive capability in securing and clearing urban and interior environments of hostiles. As the video below demonstrates, the weapon is amazing in both capability and design. Note the lack of recoil and ease and speed of reloading. The gun can even be fired one handed, upside down. Also note the consistent, tight shot grouping – hard to do with current shotguns.

As if the capabilites listed aren’t proof enough that this is the ultimate offensive weapon, special rounds have been developed for the AA-12. In addition to standard shot, there also exist door breaching rounds, slugs, and devastating grenade rounds called the FRAG-12. The FRAG-12 comes in at least three flavors: High Explosive, Fragmentation and Armor Piercing. The grenade is a fin-stabilized warhead that can launch up to 175 meters, and produces a blast radius of 9 feet. Just imagine what nine feet of exploding shrapnel will do to some undead heads. Incredible. The video below demonstrates the capabilites of the grenade rounds. Note again the grouping of shots and the low recoil and muzzle climb.

It is of strong concern that even a semi-automatic version of this weapon be made available to the general public. In the event of a rising of the dead, a strong and reliable firearm is mandatory for every survival group. I only hope development and deployment of the AA-12 is complete by then – say before 2012. Oh, and if you’re mobile, you can mount it as a remote-controlled, double AA-12 platform called the HAMMER.Resources

• Mid America Recreation Inc – AA12 Automatic Shotgun
• Top 5 Reasons You Should Not Use a Shotgun for Zombie Defense
• Defense Review – Auto Assault 12 Combat Shotgun for Mil/LE Special Operations
• Defense Review -AA12 Machine Shotgun/FRAG-12 Grenade Weapon System
• Benelli M3 Super 90
• Future Weapons: AA12 Automatic Shotgun
• More Industries – HAMMER Dual AA12 remote firing system

Stuff I recommend if you’re anxious to shoot stuff. Read a book in the meantime.

The 2012 thing – if you’re reading this article, chances are you’re already familiar with it. The 2012 thing refers to the conveniently predicted end-of-the-world or great change coming December 21st, 2012. Many apocalypse theories are vague and dark, leaving many details rough, ambiguous and open to interpretation. The 2012 eschaton comes from several cultures and gives us a very certain date to prepare not necessarily for the end of existence or the world, but “the end of the world as we know it” – TEOTWAWKI.

The date of 12/21/12 is derived from the end of a 5,125 year cycle for the Mesoamerican Long Count calendar, most notably used by the Maya civilization. The calendar completes its 13th cycle from its starting point. Correlating the Mayan date to our Gregorian calendar yields several different dates ranging from the 21st through the 23rd, but the 21st seems likely, as it coincides with the winter solstice, and though astrology has little to do with our daily affairs, astronomically the Earth is said to be aligned facing the center of the Milky Way behind the Sun on the 21st. This interesting termination of the calendar in our immediate lifetimes is what brings many to reckon the date will bring about great global change or cataclysm.

Prophecies aside, how does 2012 relate to a zombie apocalypse? Certainly our world could be forever changed on this date by an unnoticed eschatological asteroid, disease or terrible quaking of the earth. The walking dead? Also plausible. Current scientific research into disease, reanimation and cellular re-genesis is progressing as rapidly as other scientific disciplines. Particularly terrifying is the reanimation of the 1918 Spanish influenza virus, responsible for a pandemic that killed an estimated 20 million people. Scientists have gathered important new clues to why the virus spread quickly and killed efficiently (though its use as a bio-weapon has not been confirmed). The viral resurrection is brought about for research and a vaccine against itself – which of course has already been eradicated – and the virus is being harvested from corpses, notably the body of a woman buried in the Alaskan permafrost. Unchecked adaptive and opportunistic pathogens claim a definite component of our eschaton, and an escaped weaponized version will most certainly wreak havoc against an unprepared and innocent populace. There’s no guarantee the new vaccine will work well on humans, a problem because nobody born after 1930 is immune to the 1918 strain.

The physical walking dead demand a certain suspense of disbelief of course. Assuming a plausible 20% of the worlds population has been infected by a terminal pathogen, our fragile infrastructure and socioeconomic systems will begin to break down as well. Weakened immune systems will render humans more susceptible to the likes of Trypanosoma brucei, a parasite that carries nightmarish qualities, reducing many of its victims to a zombie-like state before they slip into a coma and die. Toxoplasma gondii can alter brain functions in rats, leading them to the jaws of cats – and in humans can change brain patterns to induce neuroses, paranoia and schizophrenia. Left with a rotting brain and primitive fight-or-flight instincts, an entire populace can be reduced to weakened lumbering shadows of humans, stumbling around for food. Not actually dead or undead, these stupefied humans will be harbingers of disease, parasites, bacteria and infectious rot, whose saliva and blood will be rich with zombifying toxins.

Disease ridden walking corpses are one thing. Reanimating brain-dead humans has been discussed before and is a very real possibility. Restoring a human from a cryogenic stasis and reanimating their dying brain tissue yields the possibility that a human may not be the same as they were when they expired. This leaves much speculation as to a reanimated form of a human being, but combined with the virii and diseases mentioned above – you get the idea.

Five years is a fine timeframe for viruses to be developed and mutate as well as science achieving groundbreaking results in reanimation. “Where will I be in five years?” Loading shotguns and pistols seems like a nice course of action, but they’re more for your protection against opportunistic looters, crazies and deranged survivors rather than walking corpses. In five years I will be watching the news with cautious eyes – and stocking up like I would for any emergency.

Guns and beer.

• Researchers Reconstruct 1918 Pandemic Influenza Virus
• Scientists Describe How 1918 Influenza Virus Sample Was Exhumed In Alaska
• Reanimated Infection
• The disease that makes people zombies
• Toxoplasmosis

Check these out if your brain is hungry for more: