Zombies in Africa!?

[Takelli]

News here:

DailyTech - Baffling Illness Strikes Africa, Turns Children Into Mindless "Zombies"

So, it seems that children are struck with a diesease that causes them to get "Zombie bahavior" in Africa. Wonder if its an experiment gone wrong, or something else.

[Etra]

Re: Zombies in Africa!?

Skynet in the US and Zombies in Africa?
The end is near.

On a serious note, it's pretty disturbing to see such things. I mean, why is it only affecting children and not adults?

[Takelli]

Re: Zombies in Africa!?

I don't know.. That's what I find odd about it. But, it says its happened before though so... Not sure...

[Taskmage]

Re: Zombies in Africa!?

Very strange. The total arrest of physical and mental development is shocking, but the very specific neurological symptoms of pyromania and nodding seizures only when eating familiar food are bizarre and fascinating. It reminds me of a clumsy attempt by some organism to became for humans what the cordyceps parasite is to ants. It hints at what a fine-tuned hacking of the human psyche is possible through biology. Attributing motive is misplaced, but still, you know what I mean. Rather disturbing. I did some other research on this nodding disease and apparently there have been cases reported for nearly 50 years. It seems to be highly correlated to a worm that's endemic to flies that are in turn endemic to only certain African biomes, so the possibility is practically nil for this disease to ever spread to other continents, if that's any consolation.

[Takelli]

Re: Zombies in Africa!?

While true... There are areas in africa that doesn't have the flies yet... They are getting it too. I'll find the source some where on the page I linked...

[Taskmage]

Re: Zombies in Africa!?

On reflection this ant parasite is a much better comparison. It's even a nematode just as the nodding disease pathogen is theorized to be. This worm turns their abdomen round and red like a berry and compels them to climb as high as they can and wave their butts in the air to entice passing birds to eat them. The worm uses the birds' digestive systems to reproduce and propagate.

[Takelli]

Re: Zombies in Africa!?

Never heard of that... I've heard of the one that turns the ants into Zombies.

[Taskmage]

Re: Zombies in Africa!?

Well, they both do, really. Nature be scary. There are all kinds of parasites of this nature that affect arthropods. For mammals and other creatures with more complex neurology they're much more rare, but they exist. Toxoplasmosis does essentially the same thing to rats that the worm does to ants. It hacks the rat brain to become aroused instead of afraid around cats so they're more likely to get eaten, thus getting the toxo into its breeding ground. Somehow they evolved to only reproduce in feline intestines. There are some studies that suggest toxo infection has a similar effect on humans, causing them to be more thrill-seeking than uninfected individuals. It's not a 100% effect, but it's statistically significant. The hypothesis that toxo infection leads to "cat lady" syndrome is untested but seems to follow.

[Takelli]

Re: Zombies in Africa!?

Seems really interesting. Maybe I'll read up on it soon then.

I wouldn't doubt that the toxo thing would lead to the cat lady syndrome. Would make sense.

[Taskmage]

Re: Zombies in Africa!?

Toxoplasmosis - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Sacculina - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Emerald cockroach wasp - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Raydeus]

Re: Zombies in Africa!?

So... 1000g say some rich RE5 fan decided he wanted to bring the game into the real. This is the result. XD

[Takelli]

Re: Zombies in Africa!?

So... 1000g say some rich RE5 fan decided he wanted to bring the game into the real. This is the result. XD

Oh Gawd... If that did happen... I'd have my Naginata by my side, along with a auto shot gun.

I don't think I could shoot the kid zombies though...

[Raydeus]

Re: Zombies in Africa!?

Oh Gawd... If that did happen... I'd have my Naginata by my side, along with a auto shot gun.

I don't think I could shoot the kid zombies though...

Ohhh I could, I sooooo could.

That's the beauty of Zombification, age, race, religion, etc. stop mattering anymore. They want my brain, I want them dead-er, end of story.

[Takelli]

Re: Zombies in Africa!?

Ohhh I could, I sooooo could.

That's the beauty of Zombification, age, race, religion, etc. stop mattering anymore. They want my brain, I want them dead-er, end of story.

idk... I couldn't...

And darn you! Gimme back my award! T_T lol.

You will have it this time... I gotta go to work... <,.,<

[Taskmage]

Re: Zombies in Africa!?

More on topic, I found the article a bit hard to read. Here's the youtube version.

No mention in this segment of fire starting. That part seems inconsistent in the reporting.