http://plus.maths.org/content/how-long-can-we-survive
EXCERPT: Knowing how long we have before we interact with a zombie could mean the difference between life, death and zombification. Here, we use diffusion to model the zombie population shuffling randomly over a one-dimensional domain. This mathematical formulation allows us to derive exact and approximate interaction times, leading to conclusions on how best to delay the inevitable meeting.
Humans would not survive a zombie holocaust, or so current work suggests. The fact that reanimated corpses do not stop unless their brain is destroyed, coupled with an insatiable appetite for human flesh has proven to be a deadly combination.
However, the work produced by Munz et al. assumes that zombies and humans are well-mixed, meaning that zombies can be found everywhere there are humans. Realistically, the initial horde of zombies will be localised to areas containing dead humans, e.g. cemeteries and hospitals. In addition, by not initially separating humans and zombies, humans are not able to run and hide in order to try and preserve themselves. It is a well documented fact that zombies are deadly but slow moving. Due to their slow movements it is quite possible that, given sufficient warning, we would be able to outrun the zombies and produce a defensible blockade where humans could live safely. In order to do so, it would be useful to know just how long an infestation of zombies would take to reach our defences as this would give us an estimate of how long we would have to scavenge for supplies and weaponry in order that we may protect ourselves from these oncoming, undead predators....
EXCERPT: Knowing how long we have before we interact with a zombie could mean the difference between life, death and zombification. Here, we use diffusion to model the zombie population shuffling randomly over a one-dimensional domain. This mathematical formulation allows us to derive exact and approximate interaction times, leading to conclusions on how best to delay the inevitable meeting.
Humans would not survive a zombie holocaust, or so current work suggests. The fact that reanimated corpses do not stop unless their brain is destroyed, coupled with an insatiable appetite for human flesh has proven to be a deadly combination.
However, the work produced by Munz et al. assumes that zombies and humans are well-mixed, meaning that zombies can be found everywhere there are humans. Realistically, the initial horde of zombies will be localised to areas containing dead humans, e.g. cemeteries and hospitals. In addition, by not initially separating humans and zombies, humans are not able to run and hide in order to try and preserve themselves. It is a well documented fact that zombies are deadly but slow moving. Due to their slow movements it is quite possible that, given sufficient warning, we would be able to outrun the zombies and produce a defensible blockade where humans could live safely. In order to do so, it would be useful to know just how long an infestation of zombies would take to reach our defences as this would give us an estimate of how long we would have to scavenge for supplies and weaponry in order that we may protect ourselves from these oncoming, undead predators....