Anyone running away from a zombie for his life or playing dead would wonder, how do zombies know you are alive.
A zombie differentiates a living human being from their fellow zombies and human bodies based on their smell, appearance, sound, movement, and behavior. They can detect life, and this ability is mainly related to their sense of smell.
Can zombies know you are alive by your appearance?
Zombies look… well… like zombies. People resemble people. This is self-explanatory. Yes, zombies can judge you by your appearance and know you are alive just by your appearance. Of course, you can trick them into thinking you are a zombie with the help of some scary makeup. However, this is one of many criteria they use, which is why there is an excellent chance that you will get busted.
Can zombies know you are alive by your odor?
Odor is one of the most challenging characteristics to hide from zombies when playing dead or zombies in front of them. Their sense of smell is highly developed, and it is difficult even for us to smell like a rotten dead body without it bothering us terribly.
They can quickly know you are alive by your body’s natural scent. Your body naturally produces odors like the steamy aroma of a delicious dish from the kitchen for the brain-hungry zombies. It is a good idea to hide your scent by covering your body in other strong odors, but you need more than this in many cases.
Can zombies know you are alive by your sound?
Zombies can quickly know you are alive by the sounds that you make as a human. Moreover, humans can hear sounds only between the frequencies of 20 hertz to 20,000 hertz – anything above or below is called infrasonic or ultrasonic sound. The scary part is that we don’t know which range of frequencies zombies can detect, which leaves a possibility that zombies can even hear voices and sounds that we cannot hear. Hide and be quiet.
Most likely, the medial temporal lobe has died out in the walking dead, and the parietal is damaged. This means that they suffer from SDSG (consciousness deficit disorder with hyperactivity disorder) and, therefore, have big problems with attention and memory. Zombies have lost the ability to encode new memories and are easily distracted. If you can find a quiet place to hide, zombies will forget about you at a time when something more obvious will grab their attention.
Can zombies know you are alive by your movement?
Human movements are very different from zombies; the dead bodies obviously don’t move. That is precisely why these movements are easily detectable by zombies. Run away from them. This tip is applicable if you are faced with a zombie-type SDSG-1 (slow zombies). Possible damage to the cerebellum made them slow and poorly coordinated.
Therefore, zombies with SDG-1 cannot run fast. In Romero’s Dawn of the Dead, Peter Washington uses this escape technique from a room full of zombies. But keep in mind that SDSG leads to constant excitation of the reticular activating system, so zombies will be able to shuffle for a very long time. They will be for you like a tortoise for a hare from Aesop’s fable if you do not exercise caution.
Can zombies know you are alive by your behavior?
Zombies typically lack the cognitive capacity to evaluate the aliveness of individuals based on their behavior. They do not possess higher brain functions, reasoning, or the ability to interpret complex human actions. Instead, zombies primarily rely on instinctive responses triggered by stimuli like movement, sound, and scent.
Their basic sensory perception guides their actions, and they tend to be attracted to stimuli associated with the living, such as active movement or audible sounds. However, their ability to accurately assess or understand the true nature of a living person based on behavior is limited or nonexistent.
What to do when zombies know you are alive?
When zombies become aware of your presence and recognize that you are alive, it’s essential to take immediate action to ensure your safety and survival. Here are some crucial steps to consider when faced with such a situation:
1. Stay calm and assess the situation: It’s crucial to remain composed and think rationally. Panic can cloud your judgment and lead to hasty decisions. Take a moment to observe your surroundings, evaluate the number of zombies, and identify possible escape routes or hiding spots.
2. Avoid attracting attention: Zombies are drawn to movement, noise, and scent. Minimize any unnecessary movements and keep quiet to avoid alerting more zombies to your presence. Stay low and try to blend into your environment to reduce the chances of being detected.
3. Seek shelter: If possible, find a secure location where you can barricade yourself and remain hidden from the zombies. Look for buildings with sturdy doors and windows, and quickly fortify your position by blocking entrances and reinforcing weak points. Remember to stay quiet and limit any activities that could draw attention.
4. Stay out of sight: Keep yourself hidden from the zombies’ line of sight. Close curtains, stay away from windows, and avoid using bright lights or making sudden movements that could attract their attention. If you need to move within a building, do so cautiously and quietly, using cover and shadows to remain inconspicuous.
5. Silence your communication: If you are with other survivors, communicate using whispers or hand signals to avoid making unnecessary noise. Turn off the sound on your electronic devices and only use them when absolutely necessary. Remember that any loud noises can draw unwanted attention from nearby zombies.
6. Prepare for self-defense: While the primary goal is to avoid direct confrontation with zombies, it is essential to be prepared for self-defense if necessary. Keep a weapon or makeshift tool handy that can be used as a means of defense, such as a sturdy bat, a knife, or even improvised weapons like pipes or crowbars. Aim for the head, as destroying the brain is typically the most effective way to neutralize a zombie.
7. Plan an escape route: Always have an escape plan in mind. Identify alternative exit points and map out multiple routes to reach safety. Familiarize yourself with the area and have a contingency plan in case your current location becomes compromised. Being prepared and adaptable is vital in surviving encounters with zombies.
8. Stay informed and updated: If possible, listen to emergency broadcasts, access the internet (if available), or use a battery-powered radio to gather information about the zombie outbreak. Knowing the status of the situation, evacuation routes, or safe zones can significantly increase your chances of survival.
9. Seek assistance and form alliances: If you encounter other survivors, consider joining forces. Strength in numbers can provide additional security, shared resources, and support during challenging times. However, be cautious and exercise judgment when trusting strangers, as some may pose a threat.
10. Maintain personal hygiene and health: Practicing good hygiene and taking care of your health is crucial to avoid attracting zombies. Keep wounds clean and covered, as the smell of blood can be a significant attractant. Additionally, ensure you have a sufficient supply of food, water, and necessary medication to sustain yourself during uncertain times.
Remember, surviving a zombie outbreak requires resourcefulness, adaptability, and a calm mindset. By following these guidelines and using your wits, you can increase your chances of staying alive in the face of undead adversity.
Can you act like zombies to hide you are alive?
Imitate them. “If you cannot defeat them, join in.” We have found that zombies cannot distinguish between faces, possibly due to severe damage to the ventral optic tract. Therefore, their recognition of people is carried out solely on other lines, such as gait or voice.
If you encounter a horde of carrots and have nowhere to run, do the same as Sean and his friends from Zombies named Sean: act like zombies. If you imitate them well enough, then go through the crowd unnoticed. You do not need to play for the sake of the Oscars; just let the walking dead understand that you are one of them, not a tasty person.
That’s it, friends. If one-day science comes up with how to stimulate the zombie brain to cure them, great. In the meantime, we can use scientific knowledge to increase our chances of survival. Taking what we know about a healthy human brain and understanding the zombie’s brain, we have developed ways to control and survive in the zombie apocalypse. Science has saved your ass again.
How to stay alive when a zombie knows you are alive?
What would I do in such a situation? Here are my top 5 tips for surviving a zombie attack or invasion.
- Stock up and equip yourself: take as many weapons as possible – knives, axes, shovels, baseball bats. Think garages, garden sheds, and hardware stores. Then consider packing practical tools like flashlights, a can opener, matches, and a first aid kit. You must be Bear Grylls power ten! Remember always to have a pistol loaded with a bullet for yourself if you are ever bitten and have to get down.
- Go down to all the nearby houses, shops, and supermarkets. Take as much water, cans as possible, energy bars, and drinks! You are going to run a lot… unless it is an invasion of slow zombies: then you need mood stabilizers, a psychologist, and personal development books to make sure you stay calm and serene at the idea of having to remain stashed all your life in a shelter / a warehouse / a scientific laboratory / a caravan / a supermarket.
- Stay clean. Remember to pack as many hygiene products as possible. We are not talking about a toothbrush, deodorant, and after-shave, but soap, antibacterial hand gel, and wipes. You will occasionally have to disguise yourself as a zombie by rubbing their dead skin against yours, and believe me, this kind of thing is very sticky, and it is difficult to get rid of it.
- Take a boy/girl with you: if you are not already in the company of a loved one, try to team up with a group, especially with someone of the opposite sex. You never know; you could end up having to recreate the human race, which will shorten the gloomy hours spent waiting and hiding.
- Find a safe place: all the so-called intelligent guys in the area will already run to the nearest mall. Be smarter. Find the most secure location – government buildings, power plants, prisons, fortresses… In short, you get the idea.
Conclusion
How do zombies know you are alive? Well, zombies can detect everything about you, from your appearance and smell to your movement and behavior. This article gives you enough information on how zombies know you are alive and how you can turn things around in your favor knowing all this information.
