Resurrecting the Dead

Shambling silhouettes drag their naked feet along the foggy dirt in the midnight sky, gasping for raw flesh, determined to reserve their uncontrollable drooling for their victims. Although this is pure fiction, some are concerned about a future outbreak in reality. Their worry is further reinforced by the U.S Strategic Command's Conplan 8888, which orders all military personnel to aid civilians in the event of a real zombie outbreak. Is World War Z imminent? To understand, ‘zombie’ must be defined.

The term ‘zombie’ itself is a maze of striking graphics and documents. Instead of the generic man in a striped brown business suit with green stains and empty, white eyes, the authentic zombie is unable to be described as living nor undead. Originating from Haiti, a voodoo was cast on prisoners. The victim was buried alive, then dug out by the bokor (the voodoo's conductor) and a rite was performed, separating the soul and body: a mindless, mute creature arose. While one raises an eyebrow on this process, when potions are applied to the victim's skin, it falls apart and breaks, inspiring the scaled skin of modern zombies. Besides rituals, zombie insects are an infestation through the forests.

For long has fungus been a symbol of disgust, and its vengeance has come in the form of an ant-eating disease. The ‘zombie-ant fungus’ is known to lure ants and, similar to how the name suggests, turns them into zombies. The fungus alters the brain's functions, taking control of the body. The brain, the legs, then everything spirals into the fungus’ hands. The now ‘zombie’ ant finds a sturdy leaf and sticks to it permanently, as the fungus grows inside (from the brain) and outside. Furthermore, in the Arctic Circle, scientists are monitoring the effects of the climate crisis on the ice, even isolating a recently recovered parasite. Biologically, a current zombie virus is unlikely, despite there being close relations.

While insects are susceptible to early deaths and zombification, humans enjoy a relatively fine and long lifestyle. Nevertheless, tiny support structures inside humans were once perhaps foreign invaders: mitochondria. Mitochondria, however unusual, produce life's essence. When cells are drained of mitochondria, they die, the immune system battered and penetrable for bacteria, which mitochondria bear a striking and suspicious resemblance to. The theory goes that these organelles were once bacteria that invaded and became one with our bodies: a cloak-and-dagger man and a mole?

Zombies are an ubiquitous entity: the raised jawbones, white eyes, and exposed brain accompanied by green, stale skin has been inspired by Haitian voodoo and raised 5 stars from the audience. However, the zombie ants and mitochondria serve as a reminder that zombies exist: the zombie pandemic ever so seen in movies is a nigh impossible outcome. "This is the foretaste of what is to come and only the shadow of what is going to be." - Alan Turing