Zombies won't win

This is my major takeaway from the acclaimed novel "World War Z" by Max Brooks.

From the virological perspective, the Walking Dead virus is a dead-end life form. Why? Because if it succeeds totally, it will have exhausted its food source irretrievably. The disappearance of humanity is therefore also the disappearance of the Walking Dead virus.

For argument's sake, one can always imagine that the zombie virus may mutate and prey on non-humans. But then, if it goes on to wipe out all the other life forms, it will self-destruct all the same --- unless it is capable of invading outer-space aliens.

Epidemiologists estimate that we may see, on average, three pandemics in a century. Human beings have been living with pandemics known and unknown since time immemorial. If history is any guide, no virus will likely end all human civilizations going forward.

Yes, I sound optimistic and I am optimistic. Let pessimists prove me wrong.


Author: renqiulan
 

所有跟帖： 

• 几乎同意，只是一世纪之前没火车、汽车、飞机，isolated, virus killed people locally。 -AP33912- ♂ (0 bytes) () 06/08/2023 postreply 19:53:00

• 不知墨西哥的玛雅人怎么被消灭的。 -AP33912- ♂ (0 bytes) () 06/08/2023 postreply 19:55:00

• Maybe their descendants are still around. Who knows? -renqiulan- ♂ (0 bytes) () 06/08/2023 postreply 20:21:17

• We humans are primates, after all. -寒苇- ♀ (0 bytes) () 06/09/2023 postreply 06:48:48

• 如果一个文明被一种疾病消灭了，说明它的基因多样性不够。 -唐宋韵- ♂ (0 bytes) () 06/08/2023 postreply 21:52:56

• 唐宋君早安！谢谢指出。可否列举几项参考及例证？中英皆可。 -renqiulan- ♂ (0 bytes) () 06/09/2023 postreply 05:58:10

• 人类在数百万年的进化历程中高度杂交，大洲人群有较好的基因多样性，甚至除非洲人之外的其他人群，其DNA中 -唐宋韵- ♂ (534 bytes) () 06/09/2023 postreply 08:36:39

• We are still bearing ancient genes. -寒苇- ♀ (0 bytes) () 06/09/2023 postreply 06:54:02

• 文明被消灭，不等于人种被消灭。玛雅人的后代还在，已经融入墨西哥人。病毒，天灾等迫使他们改变生活方式而已。 -咲媱- ♀ (0 bytes) () 06/09/2023 postreply 07:05:12

• 阿普有道理，个别文化的没落可能部份由于病毒，然而也只是猜想多于实据。 -renqiulan- ♂ (0 bytes) () 06/08/2023 postreply 20:14:31

• The Black Death (bacteria) is a well-known case in point. -renqiulan- ♂ (0 bytes) () 06/08/2023 postreply 20:26:20

• This plague killed millions & then subsided. -寒苇- ♀ (0 bytes) () 06/09/2023 postreply 06:57:13

• 蒙古大帝国也受此疫影响而变弱回亚。 -AP33912- ♂ (0 bytes) () 06/09/2023 postreply 07:36:00

• Closer human contacts, higher risks of viral outbreaks. -renqiulan- ♂ (0 bytes) () 06/08/2023 postreply 20:38:36

• That's a working definition of contagion. -寒苇- ♀ (0 bytes) () 06/09/2023 postreply 06:58:11

• 病毒的生存之道，和宿主和谐共存，线粒体就是个入侵者 -颤音- ♂ (0 bytes) () 06/08/2023 postreply 19:55:50

• A virus enters a target cell by binding to its receptor. -renqiulan- ♂ (0 bytes) () 06/08/2023 postreply 20:30:30

• It may hurt. It may not. -寒苇- ♀ (0 bytes) () 06/09/2023 postreply 06:59:27

• 我还是相信科学医学。 -lovecat08- ♀ (0 bytes) () 06/08/2023 postreply 20:28:03

• 没有新冠疫苗，将有更多的人去世，不可想像！ -lovecat08- ♀ (0 bytes) () 06/08/2023 postreply 20:30:27

• Virologists are always battling viral mutations. -renqiulan- ♂ (0 bytes) () 06/08/2023 postreply 20:36:50

• True. -寒苇- ♀ (0 bytes) () 06/09/2023 postreply 06:59:53

• Good science works because bad science doesn't. -renqiulan- ♂ (0 bytes) () 06/08/2023 postreply 20:33:39

• 失败为成功之母。我们够努力的了。 -lovecat08- ♀ (0 bytes) () 06/08/2023 postreply 20:40:44

• I'll take it as a pearl of wisdom. Thanks! -寒苇- ♀ (0 bytes) () 06/09/2023 postreply 07:00:34

• Let's not forget that "World War Z" is a science fiction. -renqiulan- ♂ (0 bytes) () 06/08/2023 postreply 20:40:09

• 哈哈！我不会看这类小说，太冷硬，牙痛。 -lovecat08- ♀ (0 bytes) () 06/08/2023 postreply 20:42:43

• 病毒变种是很恼人，但一不小心发动的核子战争，不是更可懼？ -lovecat08- ♀ (0 bytes) () 06/08/2023 postreply 20:48:10

• Ironically, MAD(mutually assured destruction)keeps us safer. -renqiulan- ♂ (0 bytes) () 06/08/2023 postreply 20:51:23

• Life is full of contradictions, isn't it? -寒苇- ♀ (0 bytes) () 06/09/2023 postreply 07:01:46

• I highly recommend this sci=fi novel to you, Madam Cat. -renqiulan- ♂ (0 bytes) () 06/08/2023 postreply 20:48:48

• 要俺吃肥皂啊！那你陪我看几部“歌仔戏”，先！ -lovecat08- ♀ (0 bytes) () 06/08/2023 postreply 20:52:35

• My wife and I watch one movie a week. We read every day. -renqiulan- ♂ (0 bytes) () 06/08/2023 postreply 20:58:55

• 你那三小儿，也将跟上。书虫一家。只是跟你开个玩笑，歌仔戏是台湾的平剧，催眠的。。。。。。。 -lovecat08- ♀ (0 bytes) () 06/08/2023 postreply 21:02:33

• Amish 家规。 -lovecat08- ♀ (0 bytes) () 06/08/2023 postreply 21:07:00

• No way! -renqiulan- ♂ (0 bytes) () 06/08/2023 postreply 21:31:15

• You guys have discipline. -寒苇- ♀ (0 bytes) () 06/09/2023 postreply 07:03:26

• The first chapter of this novel is about China. -renqiulan- ♂ (0 bytes) () 06/08/2023 postreply 21:00:17

• Yes, give it a try. -寒苇- ♀ (0 bytes) () 06/09/2023 postreply 07:02:42

• Of course, it is. -寒苇- ♀ (0 bytes) () 06/09/2023 postreply 07:01:00

• estimated wait time at 26 weeks of its audio version -颤音- ♂ (47 bytes) () 06/08/2023 postreply 21:04:38

• 查网，发现。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。 -lovecat08- ♀ (8640 bytes) () 06/08/2023 postreply 21:08:35

• No, Ma'am.It came out in 2006. It's been made into a movie. -renqiulan- ♂ (0 bytes) () 06/08/2023 postreply 21:17:41

• Yes, it is. I read it online. -renqiulan- ♂ (0 bytes) () 06/08/2023 postreply 21:14:55

• 好吧！考量中。晚安！ -lovecat08- ♀ (0 bytes) () 06/08/2023 postreply 21:23:43

• Goodnight. Sweet dreams. There are no zombies. -renqiulan- ♂ (0 bytes) () 06/08/2023 postreply 21:28:08

• So this novel is really hot. -寒苇- ♀ (0 bytes) () 06/09/2023 postreply 07:04:04