Let's talk zombies...

[Lee]

I don't know why, but I have been thinking about the Walking Dead again lately.

Lets assume this is the hypothetical world where we can only use facts learned from the show.  In other words, if we didn't see it on that show, it cannot be assumed (even if it is "common knowledge").

So this is what has been bothering me (obviously spoilers if you still haven't watched the show):



There was a point in the show where the zombie head was still moving even though severed from the rest of the body.  I believe they went out of their way to explain that the only way to kill the zombie was to shoot it in the head.

Now, lets also take the last episode where they tried to explain how a person becomes a zombie.  They, again, went out of their way to show that the spinal stem becomes active again.  The spinal stem is responsible for all lower level body functioning (from rudamentary sight, sounds, walking, heart beating, breating, etc).

Lastly, lets take another fact specifically mentioned: a zombie only wants "fresh" meat.  The zombies have not started eating each other nor are there any signs of this on any of the existing zombies.

Here is where I begin seeing holes in their logic.  A body, no matter what, needs some form of nutrients to continuing functioning.  Wouldn't there be a point where most of the zombies cannot find suitable food and their own muscles and cells disentegrate, preventing a zombie from moving until ultimately dying (again)?

I am hoping that you guys won't simply say "well, the disease prevents cells from dying."  This is because the show specifically mentioned that a zombie is just like a normal person but without higher brain functioning....  They never said the body mutates into something that doesn't need nutrients to continue living.  Although I admit that I never read the comics, so maybe they explained this in the books?

[Lee]

Also, on a side note, when I filled up my gas tank yesterday, I thought to myself "Well, if the zombie apocalypse comes tomorrow, I'll be good to go for a little bit."  LOL

Do any of you ever do that or am I the only screwed-up person here? :-)

[dolphins4life]

I am well prepared for any zombie attacks.

[Dave Gray]

I talk about zombie plans all the time.

The Walking Dead doesn't (and probably won't ever) discuss the origin of the outbreak, what caused it, and how it works.  The characters don't have a way of knowing, and this story isn't about zombies.  It's about people. 

If you're interested in zombie stuff, I HIGHLY recommend a book called World War Z.  There is also The Zombie Survival Guide (by the same author, Max Brooks).  They are both easy reads and talk about a lot of the things that you are asking.  In their explanation, the Zombies do eventually deteriorate and die, but it depends on the climate.  South Florida would be one of the fasts places of decomposition -- about 2 years.  It explains it through a chemical called Solanum that does weird stuff to muscles.