The hit zombie TV show 'The Walking Dead' starts with one of the main characters waking up in an abandoned hospital, 59 days after the outbreak of a zombie virus.
Although the TV show is clearly a work of fiction, it turns out it might be closer to real life than you think.
The prediction of a 60-day outbreak is extremely accurate, according to a new computer model.
The model, created by researchers to coincide with Halloween this week, shows it would only take 60 days for 2 million people in Chicago to turn into zombies.
This is almost exactly what was predicted in the hit show 'The Walking Dead', as Eric Mack at CNET first noticed.
Researcher Chick Macal and his team at the Argonne National Laboratory in Chicago build mathematical models to simulate the spread of disease, like flu, Ebola and MRSA, throughout populations.
In time for Halloween, the team wanted to answer the question of how vulnerable their home of Chicago would be to a zombie apocalypse.
'And more importantly: What could we do to stop it?' the researchers said.
The team completed a series of simulations, changing various parameters.
In a best case scenario, two million people become zombies by day 60.
WHAT YOU SHOULD TAKE
If a zombie outbreak occurs, your 'grab bag' should contain:
- Fire-starting kit
- Water bottle
- Small knife
- Rope
- Food
'In some scenarios, they can add interventions, like training populations to kill zombies, or communications from City officials that tell people how to avoid them,' the university says.
The scientists came up with the best way to protect against a zombie apocalypse.
Their models suggest a two-pronged intervention strategy that combines improving people's defensive actions with better offensive tactics.
'This offers great promise for countering the zombie apocalypse in Chicago,' Macal said.
Researcher Chick Macal and his team at the Argonne National Laboratory in Chicago build mathematical models to simulate the spread of disease, like flu, Ebola and MRSA, throughout populations
In time for Halloween, the team wanted to answer the question of how vulnerable their home of Chicago would be to a zombie apocalypse. Model shown after 10 days, left, and 50 days, right
The Walking Dead, starring Andrew Lincoln as Rick Grimes, portrays a zombie invasion. A new computer model shows it would only take 60 days for 2 million people in Chicago to turn into zombies, similar to the events in the TV show
Last week, the US Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Center for Disease Control released a ‘Preparedness 101’ guide for a zombie pandemic.
While it’s delivered in the form of a graphic novel, the suggestions made in the zombie survival guide are meant to be taken seriously for real-life crises, even including an ‘all-hazards emergency kit’ checklist.
The survival guide was originally released in 2011 but has recently resurfaced.
It tells the story of a ‘zombie virus’ outbreak that spawns from a ‘highly mutated form of the flu,’ while showing how to pack an emergency kit with the necessary supplies for you and your family – including the pets.
In Preparedness 101, the CDC reveals how much food and water each person should bring, along with other equipment that you might need during a disaster, like a flashlight, batteries, and medication.
They suggest you create a kit for the home, office, school, and even your car.
Last week the US Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Center for Disease Control released a ‘ Preparedness 101 ’ guide for a zombie pandemic.